Lantash
by Meushell
Summary: Lantash is alive, and with a new host who is also thought to be dead.
1. Trapped

Title: Lantash  
Author: Meushell  
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, then it's not mine.  
Summary: Lantash is alive, and with a new host who is also thought to be dead.  
Rating: PG-13  
Spoilers: (Season Two) In the Line of Duty, The Tok'ra, (Season Three) Divide and Conquer (Season Four) Between Two Fires, Land Stand, (Season Eight) Affinity  
Parings: Sam/Pete, Sam/Lantash/Other

Part 1, Trapped

--Lantash--

There have been a few times in my life where I was truly terrified, and I've lived for hundreds of years. However, laying on the ground after the rest of the group had left, and listening to the sounds of Jaffa come closer...both Elliot and I both have nightmares about that still, which really doesn't make much sense after what's happened since then.

I did my job, took over Elliot when the Jaffa came because we both thought they might prefer talking to the symbiote part of a Tok'ra. They brought me to the Chaapa'ai where I released the poison. They collapsed, knocking Elliot and I over with them.

Elliot and I were both too weak to push them off, and the poison made the Jaffa too weak to do anything either.

So, I waited for the poison to kill me. Even if I had been terrified, even if I was going to die, it was worth it to save her. Of course saving them was also worth that, but mostly, I did it for Samantha. After a while, I realized a thought mixed with dread and thrill, I wasn't dead, and I should have been.

I even heard SG-1 and Jacob/Selmak pass by and leave through the Chaapa'ai. They wouldn't have seen me under the now dead Jaffa, and there was no way to signal them.

So, I laid there under the getting-to-be-very-heavy-Jaffa wondering why I was still alive, and completely alone because Elliot had passed out a while ago.

After a day I was rather shocked that Elliot and I were both still alive. I thought if the poison hadn't killed us, the injuries would have. Of course I was trying to heal him still, without waking him, out of desperate hope that we'd be saved.

Being under dead armored Jaffa in the hot sun was a most tortured combination. The smell alone was intolerable, and that wasn't the worse part.

I still have nightmares about that too.

I retreated completely into Elliot's mind, and passed out soon after.

The next thing Elliot and I knew was we were lying in bright light. I realized we were in a sarcophagus, and our situation has just gotten worse.

Why didn't we die when we were supposed to?

As it turned out, we were captured by a minor, and I believe recent Goa'uld, Zar. I don't know how long it's been, how many years, I estimate a few, and he's been torturing us ever since.

To be continued...

(I put Martouf as a character for the story in the character part because there isn't a place for Lantash, and Lantash is as close as you get to Martouf without Martouf. Anyway, please review. Also please let me know if the rating is right. Thank you.)


	2. Just the Symbiote

(A/N: Thank you BizzyLizzy, LaDiNi, JD alien freak, wraith816, and Sache8 for your reviews.)

Part 2, Just the Symbiote

--Lantash--

"Just what we need, more Tok'ra" is what catches my attention. I get to my feet, and head over to the area of newcomers.

Pary/Hovar stands there, watching the prisoners, probably expecting attack. I cannot tell which one is in control. His Tok'ra uniform made it clear what he was to others. I know he wouldn't know who I was, and also know he is probably wondering what other Tok'ra are down here.

Hmm, just me.

The way he stands...Pary must be in control. He relaxes only slightly when he realizes the prisoners don't look like they are about to attack. They usually attack this time of day but, thanks to me, they are rather afraid of the Tok'ra.

I approach, and he eyes me. I know he can sense me, but not recognizing the host, he is unsure if I am Goa'uld or Tok'ra. His eyes flash, which makes me think that Hovar must think he is more of a threat than his host.

As I approach, the other prisoners back away, leaving me a nice path. "I am not cause for alarm, Hovar," I say.

Hovar still watches me, but still seems unsure. "Who are you?"

"Lantash."

"Lantash is dead. He died-"

"-Releasing poison so that Selmak and people of Tau'ri could escape through the Chaapa'ai. Don't tell me what I did. I lived it!" I didn't mean to sound quite so angry. "Well, the story was wrong. The poison decided not to kill me, and since I spent the next day under a pile of dead Jaffa and the years after in this prison, being tortured several times a week, I haven't had time to figure out why."

Hovar looked rather horrified.

My words weren't completely accurate. Zar, if he's still the Goa'uld in charge, seemed to lose interest in me a couple months ago.

As his poster changes I know Pary is in control again. "We did not mean to offend you, Lantash. We thought you and your new host were dead, and we did not know what your new host looked liked. Please, forgive us."

I stare back, trying to shake off the anger. My host isn't helping, but he never does anymore. I turn away, and return to my room, which has a bed of rags. Anything valuable, weapons, food, water, is hidden. Of course Pary follows. He looks around once we get there, and starts to speak.

I interrupt him. "I prefer to speak with Hovar."

Pary looks confused, as I never made this request, but they grant it, and the symbiote takes control. "It is an interesting place. I see you adopted the idea of having a door."

"Elliot wanted a door, and I found it is useful when in prison."

"How is Elliot? It would be nice to meet him."

I stare back at him. "The room is large enough to share. It would be safer." I leave before he can respond; grabbing an empty container and saying we need more water.

Water itself isn't usually hard to get. It always flows freely, and the only problem is when people try to take control. However, thanks to the "I'm afraid that Lantash is going to kill me or worse take over my body" attitude, I don't have to worry.

I see a man look up at me from the water. He's been in the prison longer than I have. He's familiar, but I can never remember why. I must have seen him sometime before prison. Unlike most, he's not afraid of me, but keeps his distance. I think out of respect.

I return to my room, and set the water down. "I get the rags."

Hovar nods, still not sure what to make of the situation.

"How is Samantha?"

He looks almost guilty briefly, and for a horrible second I think she must be dead. He finally answers, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You are friends with Selmak. Does Jacob not speak of his daughter?"

"There is no longer an alliance with the people of the Tau'ri."

My eyes flare. "What?!"

"Their ways-"

"Martouf was killed in an attempt to keep the Tok'ra/Tau'ri alliance from happening! Does that not tell them the importance of the alliance? How dangerous it is to the Goa'uld?! Who broke the alliance?!"

His hesitation, the slight fear to respond, tells me the answer.

"The Tok'ra did this?! They let the death of Martouf and many others mean nothing?!"

"The Tau'ri wanted too much information. They wanted to know the location of our spies, thinking it might prevent other attacks."

"Other attacks?"

"They had an Alpha Site," at my confusion he explained, "a secondary base, which was discovered by the Goa'uld. As Anubis has ways of getting into people's minds other than torture, no one is sure whether the information came from Tau'ri, Tok'ra, or a rebel Jaffa." He looked almost triumphant. "I am sure it was a Jaffa."

Rebel Jaffa? This was new. "More Teal'cs?"

"What?"

"The rebel Jaffa, have they turned from the Goa'uld like Teal'c?"

"Ah, yes, more....more Teal'cs. That is one way to put it."

"The alliance should not have been severed."

Hovar was surprised. "But-"

"Then they should have worked it out!"

Hovar was speechless, and Pary took over. "Lantash-"

"I don't wish to speak with you, Pary! I thought I made that clear! Now, out! I do not wish to share the room with you right now. You may return at night. Out. Out!"

I watched them leave in shock and betrayal.

To be continued...


	3. Mad

(BizzyLizzy, glad you enjoy it. Yeah, we never saw them die. I am still hoping the show will bring them back. ::smiles::

Sache8, glad you liked that. I would hope Lantash would have felt that way on the show.

Jd, I hope that is a good thing, lol.

Blue Banrigh, I agree with your feelings on the Tok'ra and Martouf. :( Poor Martouf. When my boyfriend started watching the show, he finally got to see who Martouf and the Tok'ra were, lol.)

Part 3, Mad

--Guy from Water Source (aka: Lantash's future host)--

The voice of the first Tok'ra could be heard throughout the prison. The Tok'ra certainly have powerful voices. I assume Pary must be the host of the second Tok'ra.

Lantash. That's what people say the first Tok'ra introduced himself as to the second Tok'ra. The name is familiar. He and I have been here the longest, but I've never actually spoken to him.

People are usually killed or taken by the guards, never to be seen again, after a couple months. So, most of the people here have never seen anyone other than Lantash in control, which does give a bit of a Goa'uld-like impression. Add his temper, strength (a few people learned he's stronger than he looks), the knowledge that he's centuries old, and the rumors that he randomly kills people for no apparent reason, and it's not a wonder that they fear him.

But I know the truth.

I was there when he first came, when Elliot had even more control than the symbiote. We spoke once. Nice young man.

I watched as they were taken by the guards nearly every morning, and returned at night after going through some sort of torture.

I'm glad I never had to go through that.

As months became years, Elliot was less and less himself. I don't mean that Lantash was in control more, I mean, the poor man was losing his mind. At first he'd briefly see things that weren't there. As that became worse and lasted longer, he'd cower in a corner, screaming at nonexistent images.

From what I saw, it seemed Lantash being in control made it worse on the host, probably because it was one more thing he lost control of. Hardly ever saw Lantash that year. I can't imagine what it must be like to share a mind with someone who's going insane, and desperately trying to help him.

It got to the point where Elliot became violent, and Lantash had to take control. It's been about a year since the host had any control. The last few times he was, he grabbed a knife and started charging at the nearest prisoner.

So the prisoners comment about how he's Tok'ra and should let the host have some control, having no idea that this Tok'ra's actions are protecting them from his own host.

Speaking to the host of another Tok'ra must be a huge reminder of what he's lost.

I hear footsteps and look up to see the second Tok'ra. "Pary or...?"

"Pary, yes."

I nod. "Couldn't help hearing your conversation...well, Lantash's part of it."

Pary looks rather hurt, and I wonder if he and Lantash were friends before this. "I hear the other prisoners whisper that the Tok'ra are no different than the Goa'uld, and that Lantash is proof of that."

Not sure how to respond to that. No Tok'ra should think that of another Tok'ra, especially when it's no true. On the other path, it's not for me to be telling him the reason. "They haven't been around long enough to know the truth, and it's not my place to be telling you. I would advice not mentioning Elliot."

Pary nods, and then leaves. Don't care much where to. Another moment passes, and I am surprised to look up and see Lantash staring at me in a way that it would seem I wouldn't come out of this healthy. He does that a lot with everyone. I stand up and faced him. In another host, that look would probably be terrifying. It was rather intimidating as it was in this was, especially when the eyes glow.

After a moment he brakes off the stare and looked confused, as if he wondered why he was staring at me in the first place. Usually the end result of his stare down, which makes me wonder how much of him was the same since when he first arrived here. I can't imagine what being blended with someone insane would do to the mind.

He shakes his head, and heads back to his room.

It is turning to night, or rather, what we think of as night. There is no night or day in this place, so we made one up.

--Lantash--

Pary/Hovar returns and I see that Hovar is the one in control. He looks uncomfortable as he stepped through. "People are returning to their rooms. I believe it is night."

"You assume correctly." I am sitting on the rags that I intend sleep on. "Tomorrow we will search for something you can sleep on."

He nods, sitting down, watching me, and I know he is thinking of what people are saying about me. I ignore his stare, and lay down on my "bed," waiting for sleep to grab me.

Sleep comes, and I am back under the pile of dead Jaffa. The smell is horrid, and Samantha passes by through the Chaapa'ai over and over again. I try to get her attention, and then suddenly I awake to the sound of screaming.

I don't particularly mind being woken up when I'm having that nightmare. It takes a moment to realize the screaming is coming from my own head...my host. He still has Elliot's "voice," but it's not Elliot.

I suppose technically it is Elliot, but that makes the whole situation that much more depressing, so I tell myself that Elliot died along time ago. It was actually he who wanted me to believe that when he realized what was happening to his mind. He also asked that I make sure he never hurts anyone, and I promised him I would.

Soon after that, my host was never Elliot again. I took complete control, and started blocking him out. It took a few months of practice, and sometimes he still gets through, like tonight.

I've considered just letting him have control, as that is what he wants, but I know what would happen. He'd attack the nearest prisoners, and keep attacking until he was mortally wounded. He would die, I would die, and I will have broken my last promise to Elliot.

I block him again, and look over at Pary/Hovar, who are asleep. Talking to Pary hurts. Hovar still has his host. I lost Martouf. Hovar's host is sane. Elliot is not. However, there is another reason I don't talk to Pary. If Zar decides to torture them, Pary's path may follow Elliot's. I don't want to make friends with someone I will probably just lose again. I've lost too much already.

I sigh, realizing that they should be warned of this. Morning. I'll tell them about Elliot in the morning. I nod slightly, and then return to sleep.

I return under that pile of Jaffa.

--Guy from Water Source (aka: Lantash's future host)--

It's been a few weeks since the second Tok'ra came. I was gathering water when Lantash approached. I expect him to be giving that stare again, but as I look up he has a rather blank expression.

"Lantash."

"Zar is planning something."

I get to my feet. "How do you know?"

"Pary and Hovar were the last to arrive. That is unusual in itself, but also since then, no one has been taken by the Jaffa."

I think over the last few weeks, and realize he is right.

"This may bring a chance to escape," Lantash continues. "Keep watch for such opportunity." He leaves.

I think over the words, and wonder if escape is possible. I've never been a fighter, and it seems escape would entail just that. I wouldn't have a place to go. My world was destroyed by the Goa'uld, and it's my fault.

The idea never leaves me that day, constantly thinking of ways to escape, where to go, and someone to go to. I go to sleep thinking about it.

I dream of escaping this place, going to my world, and finding it was as if never attacked. I return, and they treat me like a hero. The moment is spoiled because in a rarity, I actually know I'm dreaming. However, I decide to enjoy it while I can.

Suddenly I am interrupted by a sharp yell of pain. I shake off the fuzziness of sleep, and wonder the reason. It's not uncommon to hear screaming around here, but this one got to me, and I realize it was because it was the voice of Lantash.

To be continued...


	4. Alone

(Thank you for the reviews. Blue Banrigh and JD alien freak, glad you are enjoying it.

Wraith816, he will. ::smiles::

Sache8, you make a good point. I thought about that myself. The reason I chose to let it be known that he becomes Lantash's host is to try to get the reader to wonder more who he is.)

Part 4, Alone

--Lantash--

As the Tau'ri would say, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! I looked up at Hovar, who was trying to stop the bleeding which is rather impossible as the blade is still in my chest. Pulling it out would only increase the damage.

I try to speak, but cough up blood instead. I'm finally going to die.

I had been asleep, dreaming about the sounds of the Jaffa approaching when suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

I'm going to die, and a feel of dread washes over.

Hovar looks panicked.

The blade is my own. My host somehow took control while I was asleep. He hit one of his own lungs.

Ow. It hurts so much, and that will be the last thing I feel before I am nothing. Pain, then nothing. That is terrifying. Is this how Jolinar felt before she died?

Hovar still looks panicked.

I look up at him, meet his eyes, and then retreat back into the body.

The pain is less now that I am no longer in control. The host is already far too out of it to realize he finally has been given control. He can't hurt anyone else. Good.

Is there an afterlife? If there is, are Martouf, Jolinar, and Rosha all there waiting for me?

The idea is comforting.

--Guy from Water Source--

I leave my room, deciding to check the reason for Lantash's yell. I approach the room, but then stand there, not wanting to intrude. The second Tok'ra must have heard me because he comes out.

"I heard Lantash," I say.

The deep voice immediately tells me the symbiote is in control. "He is severely injured."

Shocked. How is that possible?

"He is-"the symbiote continues, but I put up a hand to stop him.

"I don't mean disrespect, but it might not be best for every other prisoner to know this and..." How do I put this? "Your voice as the symbiote is rather...loud."

He nods his head and Pary takes control. He is much quieter, so much I move closer to hear him. "I am afraid Lantash is dying."

"He's injured?" How did that happen? No one here is brave enough to attack him, and injuring the symbiote itself would take skill.

"The host is dying, and will bring Lantash with him."

And given Lantash's reputation, they know that there would be no volunteers for a new host. Except...no, I couldn't...

I glance to the doorway. He's going to die. It wouldn't be right to just let him. It's not like it wouldn't be beneficial. If we try to escape, I'd have more of a chance with him in my head, and that might even give me a place to go afterwards.

But could I really do that?

Pary starts to leave when I speak. "How does one join with a symbiote?"

Pary looked surprised.

"To be more precise, how would I join with Lantash?"

Pary goes through, and gestures for me to follow. "Put your mouth over his. The symbiote will travel mouth to mouth, but Lantash has to be paying attention for this to work. He isn't expecting to rejoin anyone, so he might not. Or he might already be..."

I kneel by Lantash, and put my mouth over his. A few seconds pass, and I wonder if Lantash is already dead. Then the host's hand gently grabs my arm, and I jump slightly. I close my eyes, knowing I might jump again if I see the symbiote coming at me, and jumping away from the person you are about to blend with is probably not the best way to start a relationship.

I feel something crawling through my mouth and then the back of my throat hurts. I start to wince, but then realize I no longer have control.

_Lantash._

He gives me control, and starts working on healing my throat. Memories of his life are overwhelming as he shares them. He also speaks on the same time. _Thank you for blending with me. I didn't think anyone was going to blend with me. I thought I was going to die, but the comfort was thinking I was going to be with Martouf, Jolinar, and Rosha again. There is also all my other hosts I've lost, and I would see them again. I wonder if I'd be joined with anyone, or live on my own. I don't think I'd want to be on my own. It would be lonely._

As he continues talking, it was that word that struck me. Lonely. It's the reason he's talking so much now. All this time without Elliot, he had a host he couldn't talk to. All the thoughts and feelings he'd normally share were only his alone.

I shake my head slightly as he continues talking non-stop, as he now tells me the details of each and every past host. I decide to sit back and relax as he does. It's going to be a while.

To be continued...


	5. Surprises

(Sache8, I thought people might think that. I couldn't really say anymore without giving away too much.  
JD alien freak, thanks.  
Some1new, glad you gained a new liking for Lantash.  
Thank you for the reviews.  
I'd like to note that from here on will occasionally have spoilers from episodes that have already shown in Season Eight.)

Part 5, Surprises

--Pete--

I've officially gotten a hotel in this city. It's hard to believe I'm engaged to someone so strong, intelligent, and beautiful...a real super hero. Truth is, she took so long to answer I thought for sure she'd say no.

She'll be arriving here soon. I'm making dinner. We thought it would be good to celebrate our engagement. Since she is worried about being in the SGC and being married on the same time, I thought I'd show her that every night she comes home there will be a meal for her.

I hear a knock on the door, and expect it's her. I answer, and instead find a man dressed in a UPS uniform holding a package.

"I got a package for a Pete..." He trails my name as he looks at the package. "Shanahan."

This is suspicious. Why would a package be sent to me here? I just moved in.

"It's from a..." He looks at the package again. "...Mark Carter."

Less suspicious, as he was the one who helped me get this place.

The UPS man looks at me again. "Are you Pete?"

"Yes, that is me."

He nods, and then suddenly pulls out a device I have seen at the SGC. I start to take cover, but electricity hits. As the pain shoots through, my last regret is not staying suspicious.

---

I wake up, feeling a residue of pain in my body. I blink, realizing I'm in a dark room. I try to get to my feet, and wait for my eyes to adjust to this light. As they do, I realize Sam is near, unconscious, and I immediately check her pulse.

Relieved to find a pulse.

I search the room, trying to find any way out, or anything of use. I believe I searched about five minutes before she wakes up.

"Pete?" Her voice shows concern.

"I'm here. Can you tell me what we were shot with?"

"A zat." She stands, and looks over me. "The pain will be gone soon."

Either she is saying that out of experience or I don't hide my pain well. I continue to look around, and she quickly goes to a panel on the door and starts working on it. However, she stops when we hear the sound of heavy footsteps. She closes the panel, and steps away, facing the door.

"How many times have you been captured," I ask.

She glances to me. "Several times."

I'll have to ask her more about those times later. The door just opened, and what comes through is guys in the most elaborate armor I've ever seen. They are covered in metal and the helmet is shaped like a wolf. They point what I recognize as the staff weapons at us, and speak only to Sam.

"Come."

I find myself wanting to fight, and knowing I should stay put as she follows a few of them. The others stay, pointing their weapons at me. They leave once she is clear of the room.

I sit back down, feeling guilty, but knowing there was nothing I could have done. She knows more about this than I do.

All I can do is wait, and I believe it was several hours before she was brought back. I get up to help her, but the guards, the Jaffa from what I remember, immediate point their staff weapons at me.

Two of the guards drop her, and I go to her as soon as the guards start to leave. She's unconscious, and I again check for a pulse. It's slightly faster than before. I check for injuries without moving her. A moved broken bone can cause a lot of damage. However, I don't see much sign of injury. Other than the pulse and being a little paler, I find nothing.

I try to make her comfortable without moving her. There could be an injury I missed. I sit down by her, and watch over her. I believe it was only a few hours before she wakes up.

Sam turns over, and looks up at me.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, hoping it's not an incredibly stupid question.

She sits up, still looking sleepy. Sam looks around, and the feeling seems to be wearing off. She starts heading back to the panel when the sound of the heavy footsteps can be heard again.

I approach her, and she looks at me. "I can handle this," she says. "He wants me alive for now, but if you do anything to get in the way, they'll kill you." She leaves my side and approaches the door, and I watch them take her away again.

As we stay, the same procedure repeats. They take her, and bring her back unconscious. They return almost as soon as she wakes. She seems to be gone longer each time, returns with more injuries, and wakes up weaker than before.

I don't think I've ever felt so helpless, and I'm starting to really hate the sound of footsteps.

One day was different though, they come for both of us. I help her walk as we follow the Jaffa. She mutters quietly that she hasn't been this way before. I keep a look out at the surroundings, but everything seems the same. I instead keep track of what halls we pass, and our lefts and rights.

We go to what seems to be a sort of ring on the floor. They center us in it, and squeeze in. I wonder what is going on, when rings suddenly come up, and all I see it white. Suddenly we seem to be on a planet. I make a mental note to ask Sam about that, and hope I don't look as shocked as I feel.

The first thing I notice about this planet is the heat. First time on another planet, and I wish it hadn't been this one. Everything is whiter from light, and it's already burning into skin after a few seconds. The air is thinner, and the gravity is much higher. I realize the sun is closer here than on Earth.

I feel a shove in my back, and I start walking, following two of the Jaffa. We come to a building that seems barely taller than the Jaffa and their helmets, but steps lead downward. It becomes more comfortable as we go down. Even the gravity is becoming normal. Finally we come to a hatch, and one of the Jaffa opens it. He gestures into it. "Go in."

I look at the hatch, but can't see where it goes. One of the Jaffa shoves me closer with his staff weapon. Sam glances to me, and then we step into the hatch, which continues down in steps. However, the steps disappear, and soon turn into a slope to climb down.

I hear the hatch close, and it becomes a little darker. Even though I hate these Jaffa, I feel a shudder pour through at thoughts of where this could be leading us. We continue downward, and the trail becomes less steep. Finally we get to what seems like a dead end.

I frown slightly. "You know what happens next?"

She looks around. "No, perhaps-"

Rings surround us, which makes me jump, and bring us down another level. We've entered our prison, and the worse part is the people surrounding us.

They almost have a look of glee as they approach. Sam turns opposite of me so we stand back to back. Though injured and weakened, I didn't doubt she still had fight in her. As I search for the best place to escape, I stand tall, ready to fight if needed, but then they back away as another man approaches.

The man looks like he's been there for years, underweight and filthy. He has a few scars on his face and neck, and so does his arms. He looks too weak to be a threat, and yet I'm almost certain the other prisoners are afraid of him. He approaches us, looking rather surprised, and it takes a couple seconds to realize he is looking at Sam. He stops in his place, and a look towards the other prisoners sends them scurrying. Then he turns back to her, and nods his head slightly, though I don't know why. "Samantha?"

Sam turns towards his voice, probably wondering why the other prisoners left, as she did not see the effect this man had on them. That worries me. Why are they afraid of him?

For a second, the look on Sam's face is pure shock. She frowns slightly, and takes a step forward. "Narim?

To be continued...


	6. Jealousy

(Thank you Sache8 and Kate for the reviews. I am glad Narim was unexpected and a good surprise. I wasn't sure how people would react to him.)

Part 6, Jealousy

--Pete--

Narim glances over her, and frowns in concern. "You're injured."

Sam barely makes a nod as she takes shaky step towards him. "Zar wanted information." She makes another step, and then stops, giving him a look I can't identify.

Narim seems to know. "I am not Goa'uld, nor ever host to one. A couple Tok'ra have been captured here as well. When one was injured, and the host dying, I volunteered to be the next host." He seems to hesitate before continuing. "We have been worried about you."

I don't like the way he said that.

"We?" she responds. "I know this Tok'ra?" She looks worried.

Narim nods, and as his head come back up his eyes flash. I step closer to Sam. I'm not entirely sure who these Tok'ra are, but the last time I saw anyone with flashing eyes, it wasn't good.

Narim's voice gets a whole lot deeper. "Hello Samantha. I am happy to see you again, but not under these circumstances."

Sam frowned slightly, and I wonder if she is trying to identify this Tok'ra.

He continues, "You are injured. You should be resting."

Then her face shows disbelief. "Lantash?"

He hesitated for a millisecond. "Yes." He comes over to her, and puts an arm around her to support her for walking. "Come, both of you."

I help support her on the other side, or try at least. This Narim...Lantash, whoever he is, seems to be a lot stronger than he looks. It's a fairly short walk, and we go into a room with a ragged blanket for a door.

As Narim/Lantash set Sam down on what appears to be rags, I notice another man watching us. Lantash, I believe it's Lantash, starts checking Sam's injuries as I had before. I kneel nearby, but not where I'd get in the way. "Who are you?" he asked, and I realize he is talking to me.

"That's Pete," she answers, and I wish she said something more, like that we were engaged, or at least we were a couple. I feel a tinge of jealously as he, not I, is the one taking care of her injuries. It wasn't just that though. I saw the way Narim looked at her. I see the way Lantash is looking at her now. They like her, I mean they _really_ like her.

It brings memories of her telling me that her previous boyfriends had died. Is this them, now combined into one man?

"What happened to Elliot?" she asks. "How long ago did he die?"

Lantash doesn't answer right away. "His mind died over a year ago, but his body died a few weeks ago,"at her look, he continues, "we had been tortured for information as well...Elliot's mind was lost. I did my best to help him, but I failed."

Sam becomes saddened.

"You should rest," Lantash says as he puts a make-shift sprint on her arm. "I'll tell you everything afterwards."

She is tired, and falls asleep as he helps lay her down.

I feel jealous, but he knows more about what is going on than I do, and what injuries she might have. However, I decide it's time we speak, and he learns who I am. "Lantash."

He looks to me.

"Can you explain who's who with you?"

"I am Lantash the symbiote. Narim is the host. We are both curious to who you are."

Good. "Pete. Sam's fiancé."

"What is a fiancé?"

"It means we are engaged." I quickly realize by his look, that he doesn't know the meaning of that either. "We are going to be married."

He looked both surprised and unsure on the same time. "You will be mates?"

I smile. "Yes."

He turns away, and I am pretty sure his eyes flashed as he did.

--Lantash--

She is going to be mates with him?! He took her away from us! I refuse to look at him. It helps in resisting telling him why he's not good enough for her. Narim calmly reminds that we know nothing about him... Damn his logic! ...and asks for control.

I give him control, agreeing that it might be best. Pete didn't seem that comfortable with me as it was. Narim glances over at Pete, who seems to have a look of triumph. Grr, I don't like him.

When Narim and I had first joined, it was soon noticed that we both knew and had fallen for the same women. So it became, host and symbiote, jealous of each other.

I was jealous because he and Samantha had met first. Because, in a way, the relationship Martouf and I had her had been tainted by Jolinar. I don't mean any disrespect to Jolinar when I say that. I love Jolinar, and no matter how long I manage to live, and beyond, I always will. However their meeting wasn't exactly one full of friendship. Any feelings that Martouf and I had for Samantha made us have to step back and wonder if it was only because she was Jolinar's last host. Anything she might have felt for us, even friendship, might have been from Jolinar's memories. Months of questioning myself, "Did Jolinar spark the feelings, or is Jolinar all there is?" Then once Martouf and I realized the truth, unlike Narim, we were not brave enough to tell her. Oh, Martouf partly told her. Told her that he was "fond" of her, but that only part of what he felt. As for me, I had Elliot pass on the message. I wasn't brave enough to tell her on my own.

Narim was jealous because she seemed to respond more to Martouf and I. I don't know what he means exactly. A look. A look that she gave Martouf before he died, and a look she gave me before I was suppose to die. Narim insists he never got that look. He's jealous because she once told him things were confusing when he again showed that he cared, and he realized exactly who made it confusing. He's jealous because in some crazy way her memories of Jolinar gave a history between her and I, one he would have never been able to compete with.

All that jealousy of each other quickly disappeared after the words "We are going to be married."

Narim is polite as always, grabs an empty container, and decides to make conversation with the enemy, er, Pete. "I'll show you where we get the water."

Pete looked up from staring at her. "Narim."

"Yes. Since Lantash has been in control, he thought it would be polite to allow me control."

Heh heh. Prison life has made Narim a good liar.

Pete nods, but then looks to Pary.

"Pary will watch over her. You should know where the water is. Now being part of the group, you'll need to get it when we are running low."

Actually, I have so much water stored it would take about six months for it to start running low, but I like to keep the amount always at more-than-I-had-the-day-before.

Pete nods, and follows us outside.

"You do not seem too surprised by the situation, yet also don't seem to know much about certain things, like the Tok'ra," Narim points out after I ask him to.

"She's told me some things about where she works, but not everything."

"You don't work at the SGC?"

"No. We were dating, and then she told me after I saw some things that couldn't otherwise be explained."

"On the surface?" Narim asks, which would be a strange question if you didn't know he's only been on the surface of that planet once.

"Yes. She wouldn't tell me about her work before that."

"So you were curious about her work?" Narim asked as he gets water, then gives me a mental glare for the influence I had in that question.

He seems to hesitate before answering. "Wouldn't you be?"

"And then you just happened to be at a place to see what she did?"

Narim gives me another mental glare. I smirk. He's not really angry, as he found the situation as suspicious as I did.

Pete doesn't answer the question.

He's her stalker now too?

_That's rather leaping to accusations_, Narim thinks.

_I wouldn't be surprised if I was right._

_We may not like him, but it's best to be polite._

_You can be polite. I'd prefer to nail him to crystals._

A few seconds pass before Narim responds. _What?_

_Learn the truth, and let him know exactly what I think if it's not what I like. I mean it, Narim. He's not under my protection in this prison if he's some stalker to Samantha._

_What does that have to do with nails and crystals? Never mind. _Narim looks up and sees Pete looking at us. "Lantash and I were talking. I apologize. I am not used to talking with him, and having outside conversations on the same time." He heads back to the room, and Pete follows.

To be continued...


	7. Trust

(JDee alien freak, thank you, and glad you liked it.  
Wraith816, from your review of part five, I wasn't sure if you really liked or disliked the Narim twist. I'm guessing from the part six review that you did, so yea! Lol, I was kind of wondering how that would be taken.)

Part 7, Trust

--Pete--

"The Tok'ra are hypocrites. They fight against the Goa'uld for their wrongful actions, but do no better. In fact they are worse. They take volunteer hosts, and then allow them no control," said one of the prisoners, Joro, to me.

I found this statement to be interesting and wondered is there was truth to it.

"Lantash is proof of this," the man continued.

"He allows Narim controls."

"He _says_ he allows Narim control, and I heard he used to say his past host was in control. I was there in the end, and that host had no control. Whatever reason he gives, he is lying."

I begin to seriously wonder if that man might be right. A Goa'uld can act like their host, why couldn't a Tok'ra?

Joro continued, "He's not the first Tok'ra I heard of doing this, though Lantash is the first one I've seen. His own mate-"

Lantash came quite out of no where. He grabbed the man's throat and pushed him against the wall. I couldn't see his eyes, but I would bet next week's food supply they had flared.

"I will tolerate your talk against me and even the Tok'ra, but you will never speak against Jolinar again!"

It's amazing how that deep voice makes him just that more terrifying to whomever he speaks to. The other prisoner stares, looking quite petrified. I realize I had taken a few steps back myself. Where had Lantash come from? How much did he hear?

Joro nods, and I see the glisten of tears on his cheeks.

"Then let the word be known," Lantash continues, "anyone who speaks ill of her will be killed." He shoves Joro to the side as he let go.

The man scampers off as Lantash turns to me, and he's pissed.

--Narim--

I hadn't been concerned for Joro, not after all I have seen Joro do to other prisoners. His victims were lucky if they were killed quickly. I was even luckier. A year ago Joro stole all the food and water I had, cut my neck, and left me for dead. Obviously, I survived, but I was afraid of him since. He knew it too, and he loved to smile at me as he cleaned one of his knives. If I hadn't blended, he or someone else would have probably come after me for the final kill...sooner or later.

So the truth was, even if I would never admit it to anyone, I kind of enjoyed seeing him terrified of me.

Pete on the other hand was different, innocent to the circumstances really.

I feel Lantash taking a step closer. _Remember who he is_, I say.

"Pete..." Lantash says, letting the name hang for a minute. "You are under my protection. Do you realize what that very man would do to you if you were not?"

"I was listening to what he had to say."

"What he had to say against me, against the Tokra...against her." The last part was added in whisper. "I understand his beliefs of me. But you..."

He takes another step closer, and I tell him to calm.

_I will not_, he replies, but doesn't take a third step which he had planned to do.

"You were talking behind my back," Lantash continues. "If you didn't think this was wrong you wouldn't have been hiding it, but I know, all this week, I know what you have been doing."

He smirks slightly at the look of surprise on Pete's face, which I admit, was amusing.

Pete then looks mad. "You've been spying on me, and that's your proof that I should believe you?"

A flare of anger moves though Lantash. "I have been fighting the Goa'uld while your ancestors still worshiped them!" He takes a step every other word. Pete finds he must back away until he hits the very wall Joro was nearly choked on. "Yet you come, and after a week, you feel as if you can judge me?!"

He's getting angrier, and I ask for control._ You keep this up, and surely Samantha will hear you._

Lantash stops walking, and stand there for a few seconds, not saying anything to me, but glaring at Pete, waiting for an answer. I realize he didn't hear me, and repeat my thoughts.

He doesn't respond again, and I think perhaps he still didn't hear, but then I feel my head nod, and receive control.

"Pete," I say to let him know I have control now. "You must realize that talking to the other prisoners is not safe."

"So you followed me?"

_Like he should talk_, I hear Lantash say.

"I believe of all people, you would understand the need to follow someone," I say with a polite smile. Samantha had given us the full story of how Pete learned about the Goa'uld.

"Lantash?" says Sam's voice from my right.

I turn to her. "Not quite, though he was the one you heard earlier."

"What is going on?" She asks.

"It seems they have been following me," Pete says.

Sam approaches closer, and turns to Lantash and I.

"Yes," I say, "but we did not start out following you, Pete, not in the way you think." I am still mostly facing him. "You were missing one morning, and I thought it was best to check on you. Perhaps you have not realized, but this place is not safe. You were still very new, and not everyone might realize you were protected by Lantash and me."

Actually it was Lantash who was the reason he was protected, but I didn't want to point that out. I continue, "So yes, we did follow you that morning, but out of concern." Well, my concern anyway. Lantash didn't really care, but agreed since Samantha cared about him. "We found you talking about us, against us. We don't know you that well, and already you were showing a reason not to be trusted. We did however give you a chance, when you returned we asked where you had been. You lied."

Samantha looked to Pete for explanation now. She had to have known something was up, but with recovering from injury and stranded in the room until recently, she couldn't have possibly known the full story.

"I needed to know who we were rooming with," Pete says.

"You should have asked me," Samantha says. She said it quietly, but I still heard her. I don't think she was keeping it from me, but from the others. Their voices become quieter, and the conversation has moved from Pete and I to Samantha and Pete.

Lantash is gloating in my head, and I'm glad he's not in control. I walk away to give them privacy.

--Samantha--

Pete's actions don't anger me because he didn't trust Lantash and Narim. Given the circumstances, that's understandable. However, he never once talked to me about this, and I almost feel as if he hadn't trusted by judgment.

I know he's going through a lot right now, but this is the kind of thing I do every day. We are engaged now. He's got to be able to trust my decisions in this the same way I trust him on things he knows.

Even in these circumstances, I can't help but thing of our future. Marriage. Marriage is a lot of thing, and trust is one of them. He doesn't seem to trust me.

To be continued...


	8. Nightmares

(Thank you for reviews. Andromeda-Avatar, yes, they are the same person. Wraith816, glad you love the Narim/Lantash thing.

I'm sorry this update has taken so long. Last Saturday my computer crashed. I lost a lot of things, including this part of the story. In all, I'm still resetting a lot of things back up. I'll try to have the next updates on a regular basis as I did before.)

Part 8, Nightmares

--Lantash--

Narim gives me control he leaves. I head over to the river, which is where I was headed in the first place, and stop when I realize something is wrong. However I have no idea what it is.

Something is wrong with...the sound. Yes, the sound is off. That makes no sense. I'm not starting to go insane am I?

_No, I feel it too_, Narim thinks. _There is sound missing. It just stopped._

_Missing sound._ I realize he is right. It's not people either it's...the water... I step closer and look into it, and see that I was right. The water has stopped flowing.

Though I feel a sense of dread, I fill my bucket, and walk away as if everything is normal. Narim and I will gather as much water as we can before this is discovered.

"The water stopped!" yelled a man after he took a look at the river and ran off, probably to get something to gather water.

That wasn't very smart of him.

I find Samantha and Pete where I left them. "It's safer in the room," I say, and realize they started in that direction when they saw me. We walk quickly, and already behind us is the sounds of fighting.

--Narim--

Days have certainly been more eventful since Samantha and Pete arrived, though I doubt they had anything to do with the water stopping.

It's night now, and almost everyone is asleep, including Lantash. He's dreaming about Martouf's death.

Martouf and he are in the gateroom looking forward to the Tok'ra/Tau'ri alliance. Lantash becomes alarmed when Martouf quietly takes out a weapon. _Martouf, what are you doing?_

Martouf makes no reply, and quietly stands there.

_Martouf?...Martouf, respond...Martouf! _

Lantash feels a dread of panic, attempts to take over his host...and fails. _Martouf, you must regain control. Fight this! _He feels and sees as Martouf starts shooting at people, and they shoot back. Lantash ever so briefly thinks on how the bullets are much more painful than he imagined. _Martouf, listen to me. Fight this! Take control!_

_Failed the mission_, is Martouf's response, and Lantash feels sick when he realizes his host is starting to aim the weapon at his own head.

_Martouf!_

_I don't want to die. _Martouf's thoughts are almost a whisper.

_Good, then fight it._

_I'm going to die._

_No, you're not going to die. Fight this, and everything will be fine._

_I don't want to die like this. _Martouf fights for control, and knows he is losing. The weapon will make it painful and gory. _I don't want you to die like this. _He looks to Samantha who's pointing a zat'nikatel at them. Both host and symbiote vaguely realize they have already been shot once.

_Kill me_, Martouf thinks, and says her name.

Samantha looks like she's in pain for what she is about to do.

Martouf continues to stare at her, fighting his own hand. _I'm sorry. Lantash, I'm sorry._

_Don't be sorry. Our death will bring the Tok'ra and Tau'ri together._

_A noble cause._

_Yes, Martouf._

_Lantash, I- _Martouf is scared, but even in that moment refused to fully admit it.

The zat'nikatel was fired, and the electricity was coming towards them.

_Your not alone._

_Thank you_, Martouf thought to both Lantash for his words, and towards Samantha for firing.

_Martouf, I-_

The next thing Lantash knows is he is in a statis chamber, and Martouf was gone.

The dream starts over again, and I am glad I am not sleeping.

"Narim?"

It seems Samantha is also awake. I look towards her. "Samantha."

"I noticed one of you seems to always been awake."

"It's a nice ability the Tok'ra have."

"When he is asleep, does it feel like before you joined?"

I shake my head. "I see his dreams. Right now he's-" Suddenly I see and hear nothing, and realize Lantash took control in his sleep. _Um, Lantash?_

I feel a shake, and Lantash opens my eyes. "Martouf," he says quietly.

"What happened?" Samantha asks.

--Lantash--

"Samantha?" I say, confused. I realize I'm in control, and give it to Narim.

"Lantash took control in his sleep," I hear Narim say.

I did? _Sorry._

_It is understandable considering the dream you were having._ Narim smiles to Samantha. "I think I will go to sleep now that Lantash is awake. Good night, Samantha."

"Good night, Narim," Samantha says as Narim gives me control.

I blink, still a bit confused.

"Lantash?"

I look towards her. "Yes?"

"You called out for Martouf."

Damn. I said that out loud? "I was dreaming about our last moments."

Samantha looks guilty.

"I suppose I owe you thanks. You allowed him to die in a more...respectful manner, and also saved my life."

I feel Narim drift off to sleep, and Samantha looks like she doesn't know how to respond.

"Samantha, I'm..." I can't say it. She looks at me, waiting for me to finish the sentence, but instead I change it. "We should be getting to sleep. Tomorrow it would be wise to start checking for ways to escape. The river stopping is an indication that we have been abandoned."

She nods. "Good night, Lantash."

"Good night."

to be continued...


	9. The River

(JD alien freak, thanks.  
Warning, due to this chapter, the rating has moved up to PG-16 for gore. Actually, I have no idea what the rating should be. I had some people read it beforehand, and give me their opinion. Mostly they agree that it's above PG-13, but it's not R worthy. What do you think the rating should be, and what should it be listed officially since there I can't have a PG-16.  
While I'm asking your opinion, now that we are in part 9, you know what two genres it would best fit in?)

Part 9, The River

--Lantash--

I didn't sleep much the night before, and was awake before everyone else was. Pete was the first to wake up after me. He picked up his ration of food for the morning, and started eating. Realizing it was probably a good idea to eat before we went to the river area, I also started eating.

We kind of stared at each other until he spoke. "You seem to enjoy them being afraid of you."

I make no visual response to his words, and swallowed a bite of food. "I do not enjoy having the other prisoners afraid of me, but I do encourage it. You've seen a glimpse of how they treat each other. Surely you must realize that being feared here is a good thing."

Samantha and Pary/Hovar choose this moment to wake up.

"Good thing? What's a good thing?" Pary's asks.

"Being safe," I answer.

"Yes, that would be a good thing." Pary doesn't for further explanation, and begins eating.

"We checking on the river area after breakfast?" Samantha asks.

"I think that would be a good time."

After breakfast, I get up, and grab a bag. I pull back the cloth door to leave. The smell of blood is assaulting. I immediately retreat, to Narim's displeasure, and work to dull his sense of smell. As he heads to the river, the smell becomes much worse. The smell of human guts, waste, and the start of rot accompany the smell of blood.

It reminds me of when I was trapped under the Jaffa.

At the river, we see just how desperate they fought over the water. The half-room is filled with bodies, and I realize most of the prisoners are now dead or dying. The floor is covered in all mentioned smells, but mostly in sticky pools of blood. The riverbed itself is now filled with water, blood, and bodies.

Narim quickly starts checking the bodies for weapons. We both want to get out of here soon. Despite my efforts the air is getting to him. His eyes water as they burn, and the air is starting to have the same effect on his nose. The smell is so strong, he can taste it, and even when clamping his mouth shut his throat burns. He's starting to get headache and nausea.

He quickly gathers weapons from people, some of them still moaning in pain, but are far too injured to hope to survive. They flinch when they see him, and I realize they are not doing so with the others. They fear me even as they are dying. I feel some guilt about that, but there is nothing I can do.

One of the people is the man who had called out that the water has stopped. He is already dead, his throat cut.

Others enter the area, and also start searching the bodies. The area is soon filled with all us vultures. In a rarity, there is no fighting. Anyone thinking of doing so probably realizes they would end up like those they rob from. Some, like Narim, take what could be most useful, weapons, clothing, and shoes. Many take everything from the person, including pulling off clothes so bloody they stick to the body and rip. The most desperate take everything, including the bodies and the dying.

Soon Narim begins finding nothing more worth taking. He gestures to the others, and heads out. The air has made him dizzy now, and his walk isn't as steady as it should be. He walks slowly to hide this.

His steps quicken after passing everyone else in the room, and then he breaks for a run. He is almost at the room when he drops to the floor.

In retrospect I realize it wasn't a good idea to eat before this visit.

He jumps when he hears sound behind him, and realizes it's the rest of the group.

Great, Samantha and Pete saw us lose our breakfast.

Samantha kneels by, and Narim looks away in embarrassment.

_You want me to take control? _I offer.

Narim briefly considers it but..._No, work on the nausea._

Samantha gestures for the others to go in, but she stays. She seems to realize Narim's embarrassment. "It's okay, I've seen others barf...besides, I might be joining you."

Narim chuckles, feeling better with her words.

She brushes Narim's hair out of our way, and I feel the lightest touch on his back.

Narim closes his eyes, and waits a few minutes before deciding he's lost all the breakfast he's going to lose. He sits back on his heels.

"You should drink some water," Samantha says. She gets up, and returns few seconds later with water.

"Thank you," Narim says as she hands it to him. He drinks the water, and then closes his eyes and jaw trying to keep it down. When it seems his stomach is going to take it, he looks to her. "I've never soon so many bodies."

Samantha nods.

"...and the smell," he says. "How could you handle that? I had a symbiote counteracting it, and I couldn't deal with it."

"Pete and I left a couple times."

Narim nods slightly, realizing he should have done the same. He finishes the water. "We should clean the weapons and everything else we got."

Samantha smiles, and stands. She offers a hand, which Narim uses to get up. "Thank you. If you don't mind... " He nods his head, and gives me control.

_I feel cleaner here_, he adds.

Samantha and I head back into the room, and find Pary and Pete cleaning the weapons with dry rags. Our room now smells worse than it had before. I grab a rag from my bed, and give another to Samantha. First, I start wiping off the blood and unknown substances off my hands and arms.

_I never felt so filthy and disgusting_, Narim thinks.

I agree. I've been dirty before when isolated or in captivity, covered in dirt, sweat, and sometimes blood of my host. It was like that this morning. Now I'm covered in blood and stuff I don't want to identify from strangers. I bet we all smell really bad too.

I start cleaning a knife, while Samantha chooses to clean off a pair of shoes that look to be about her size.

"Tomorrow," I say, "we search for a way to escape. I have an idea on a couple places we could check now that we seem to be abandoned." I look to Pete. "We speak to no one about our plan. We should divide into two teams, each team having one Tok'ra and one Tau'ri."

Pete looks up at me suspiciously when I say that.

"It would be safer that way." I look to Samantha, ignoring Pete's look. "Samantha, would you mind returning to the water source with me tomorrow?"

"No," she says, and then looks to Pete when he looks to her. They seem to be communicating or trying to communicate without spoken words.

Pary gives me a look that indicates he thinks I am trying to cause trouble. I ignore it, and continue cleaning. One of each would be safest, and there is no way I am going to work alone with Pete.

To be continued...


	10. Alone Together

(Thank you, Wraith816. I hope your friends enjoy the story. I was thinking it might be angst. I wasn't sure if it was sad enough for that. Thank you, JD alien freak.)

Part 10, Alone Together

--Lantash--

The next day we begin our search. Samantha and I head back to the river. I speak quietly to her as we walk. "Elliot and I thought once we could try to escape through the river. The water has to be coming from somewhere. So we went in, and took a swim. We came across a couple problems. The first is the entire area in the wall was filled with water. We nearly drowned ourselves in attempt to escape. After several attempts we discovered a second problem. There is a forcefield. It allows the water down, but wouldn't let us up, and believe me, it was painful."

We reach the area which smells worse than it did yesterday. It was expected, which is why Narim insisted I be the one in control. We approach the water which smells worse than anything else. Swelled bodies float on top. The water is dark, thick, has developed a layer of skin on top, and we have to go in it.

Samantha looks to me. "After you."

To think I felt filthy yesterday.

I head over to the wall, and then step into the river. It reaches to my waist, and I'm glad I didn't eat anything that morning. I feel the wall, and find where the entrance to the tunnel it is. "We'll have to submerge. If this works I want to drain the river."

"Right now the river is hiding this possible escape route from the other prisoners."

"At this point, I don't care." I look towards her.

She gestures towards the hole and repeats. "After you."

I nod, close my eyes and mouth tightly, and go under. I move through the cave which goes straight for about half of a minute of swimming, and then starts to slope up. As soon as it does I find air. When I am able to be on my knees and "walk" up I stop to wait for Samantha. I continue when I see her. "I must say, this is disgusting."

Samantha nods in agreement.

As we continue, we are soon completely out of the water, and can stand.

"We must have already passed where the forcefield was," I say. I look up, and realize we must climb. For this, I give Narim control.

He puts his back against the wall with his hands pointed downward, pressing against the same wall. He presses his foot on the opposite side, and when feeling stable, brings his other foot to do the same. He glances up. "This is going to be a long climb." He slides his back up while pressing with feet and hands. Then brings up one foot, and then the other. Slowly, this is how we make our climb.

--

_I can't do this_, Narim thinks after about an hour of climbing. He's covered in sweat, which is making his hands slip at times. He rests to dry them off. He has head and muscle aches, and is just plain tired.

_You can do this._

_I'm tired. I'm sore. I feel like I am going to fall._

_If you fall, we'll be taking Samantha with us._

That seemed to encourage him not to fall.

He slowly pressed on, inch by inch, until hitting a grate.

Damn!

"Samantha," Narim calls out. He's out of breath.

"Yeah."

"We hit...hit a grate."

"Would a cut spinner help?"

"You have one?"

"I brought two in case we'd need it."

The cut spinner is the most advanced device us prisoners had. Samantha said it looked like a motorized pizza cutter.

I hear her climbing up, and she hands Narim the device.

Bit by bit, we cut into the rusty grate. Narim's legs start to tremble, but he keep them tight against the wall. Finally, the grate is gone, and he continues to edge his way up. He makes it to the top, and manages to pull and push himself up onto solid ground.

He rolls away, and then turns around to help Samantha up. Then we all collapse.

For a while we just lay there. The ground is hard, it smells, I am soaking from the water and sweat, and I'm in a place I've never been before. Yet it feels like the most comfortable place I've ever been. It's a rest after a tiring task. Samantha is near. Most important, no other prisoner can attack me. I'm going to rest a bit.

---

Narim's eyes open, and we realize we fell asleep. Still sleepy, he gives me control, and then says we should get up. I push to my feet, and look around. We are in what seems to be a small pool. I climb out, and find computers are also in the room.

"Narim?" I hear from in the pool.

"He's up here," I respond.

I hear her climb up, and approach. "Perhaps we can try sending out a distress signal."

"A signal to the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri." I glance to her. "The Tok'ra are more likely to pick it up. The first part of the message should be something to catch their attention."

"First we need to get it working. We also need to tell Pete and Pary about this. How long were we asleep?"

"I don't know. Try working on the computer. I'll go back down, and set something up to bring supplies up here."

Samantha nods. "I guess we'll need to drain the water to bring up food and water."

"I'll handle that." I walk off. "I'll try to be back soon so you can sent a message for the Tok'ra."

I head back to the tunnel, and Narim is glad that I say I would do the climbing down. I slowly position to climb down the same way we got up, and then descend down. It is much easier than climbing up, though I am not looking forward to entering that water again.

--

By night I establish new territory in the prison, which now includes the river area. With only about two dozen prisoners left, who were avoiding the place due to smell anyway, there are no arguments about it. They do give a several glares, mostly to Pete, when we start using there area of the prison as a dumping ground for the water. It's a long smelly process, but soon most of the water is gone.

Afterwards we gather every bit of rags and cloth we have to create a very long rope. It won't be strong enough to hold a person, but it should be strong enough to hold supplies.

I leave before the rope is done to check on Samantha.

--

The climb seems even slower than it was the first time, but we make it to the top.

"I sent out a message," Samantha says as she helps pull me up.

"To the Tok'ra as well?"

"I used some codes I discovered from Jolinar's memories. I was deciding what to say to get the Tok'ra's attention, and the codes just sort of came. At least, I think they were codes. They might be out of date."

"We can send out another message. I spoke to Hovar, and he gave me the most recent codes." After a rest I head over to the computer. "Can you show me what you sent?"

"I sent a written and audio message. I can bring up the written," she says as she types.

The message comes on screen, and I chuckle.

She looks at me curiously. "They aren't Tok'ra codes?"

"They are, but they are about two hundred years out of date." I glance to her. "You seem to be pulling up older memories of hers. I hope you don't start remembering how we met."

"Why is that?"

"We didn't get off on a good start." I type in the new codes into the message. "We didn't agree with certain political aspects of the Tok'ra, and are both very stubborn in our views. We became friends after going on a mission together, and were nearly killed."

I send out the new message, and let out a soft sigh of sadness. "We never agreed in those politics, though obviously that didn't stop a relationship." I pause slightly. "Now that she is gone, I realize she was probably right."

Samantha says nothing, though probably has no idea what to say.

"Samantha?"

"Yes?"

"...I...Are you hungry? You must be. I brought some food and water. You must be thirsty as well." I go back to the bag I had carried, and bring out food and water.

Samantha watches me for a few seconds, knowing that isn't what I was going to say. "Yes, I am." She comes over, and eats and drinks quickly. After our meal, which was filled with awkard quietness, she speaks, "I am going to go to sleep."

"That might be a good idea. I should sleep as well. It's been a very exhausting day."

I wasn't sure what else to say. Finally, we were alone. I could tell her everything I felt and everything on my mind. There were so many things I wanted to say, and some things Narim wanted to say, but we didn't.

Neither of us were ready yet.

to be continued...


	11. Resting

(Thank you, Stoko)

Part 11, Resting

--Samantha--

I wake up, and Lantash is frowning at me. I recognize it immediately. A very subtle frown created from concern. His face turns blank when he sees I'm awake, but I saw that frown. "Lantash, what's wrong?" I look around, and realize I seem to have slept a long time. For one, there is a pillow under my head that wasn't there when I fell asleep. There are also several boxes and containers now in the room.

I realize I feel sore, probably from the climb, but for some reason I also feel cold.

"You are ill," Lantash says. "When I woke up you were shivering in your sleep but your skin felt hot." He pushes a cup into my hands. "Drink."

I look into the cup, and see water. Feeling rather thirsty, I finish it quickly.

Lantash takes the cup, and pushes bread into my hands. "Eat. You must keep your strength." He fills the cup with water again. "Afterwards, you need to drink more water."

I take a bite of the bread, feeling self-conscious as he is watching intently.

--Narim--

_I know the Tok'ra don't get sick often, but really, Lantash, giving orders isn't going to make her heal faster._

_She needs food and water to become healthy again._

_Give me control._

Lantash bows his head, and I receive control. "Samantha, I am sorry for Lantash's rudeness-"

_I wasn't being rude._

_Yes, you were. _"-but he's never had to do this before."

Samantha looks slightly confused as she chews.

"Oh, Lantash has had to deal with injured Tok'ra, and Tok'ra who were dying from injury or sickness, but never just plain sickness. Whenever a Tok'ra becomes sick, the symbiote is able to heal them fairly quickly. He is worried because you don't have a symbiote to heal you, and is underestimating the human immune system."

_I know how the human immune system works better than you do. I aid it in-_

_Yes, Lantash, but you never sit back, and allow it to do its job on its own. When's the last time you've actually seen what it can do on its own?_

_If I did that I wouldn't be a very good symbiote for allowing my host to be sick longer than needed, now would I?_

I say nothing to him, as he just proved my point. Instead my attention refocuses on Samantha. I take her hand gently in my own, and rub the base of her thumb gently. She glances down at our hands, but I say her name to get her attention. "Samantha, I know of and respect the relationship you have with Pete. However, I can't let this chance by pass without telling you how Lantash and I feel."

_Don't bring me into this_, Lantash protests.

Samantha looks to me, and I can read her expression. "Narim."

"I love you, Samantha. I've always told you exactly how I felt, every step of the process as those feelings grew, and nothing is going to stop that."

"Narim."

"The thought of you every day for the past years is the only reason I survived. The hope of seeing you and your world were at times the only things in my life to be happy about."

I expect her to say my name in protest again and pull her hand away, but she does not. I squeeze her hand gently. "There is a lot of things Lantash and I need to tell you, and that is one of them. If Pete makes you happy, and if you love him, then live your life with him. Treat your lives together as if it's the most important thing in the universe because in the end there is nothing more important to you."

She says nothing as I let go of her hand, but quietly finishes her bread. I feel nervous about that. Telling me to never do that again would be better than this. After a few minutes she asks about Pete.

"He wanted to climb up, but couldn't make it. I don't think he's happy with the you being alone with Lantash and I."

I stand up, and check the computer, but find nothing to indicate we have received any type of reply. "Why do you suppose we were abandoned?"

_Zar might have lost more than he planned when he captured Samantha and Pete_, Lantash thinks.

"Hmm." I sit down. "I think I should check out the area. It wouldn't be good to find some unpleasant surprise is nearby all this time...Samantha?"

"I'm here. Yes." Her mind just seems to register my words just now. "That would be a good idea."

"I'll be back soon. Do you need anything?"

Samantha shakes her head. "No, I have the glass of water you gave me still."

I nod lightly, and then head to the only door. It leads to an empty hallway, which I follow upwards. There is nothing in this hallway. No console. No decorations. Only a door on the other end. I find that unusual, but realize Zar might have never actually been here, and so wouldn't care about decoration. If the prison was found, he might not want it associated with him.

Gravity is heavy, and this room feels hot. I open the door, and see sand.

"Oh." I fall to my knees. The heat is unbearable. I rest briefly before going out. I see nothing, but miles of sand. If there is anything else on this world, I would most likely die trying to get there. I wouldn't even have an idea of where to search.

I move back in, closing the door quickly, and fall back against the wall. I touch my temple as a headache forms, and I take deep breaths. _It's the perfect prison planet._

_I did not realize the atmosphere was so bad_, Lantash says as he starts tending to my headache.

--Narrator--

Meanwhile, in the other room, Samantha had fallen asleep due to her illness. As she dreams here, and Narim/Lantash rests in the other room, the computer crackles with sound. Static and a voice soon follow. "This is.........Tok'ra, respond. How......know the codes.........I repeat, this is Selmak of the...Please respond."

No one hears it, and so no one responds.

To be continued...


	12. The Message

(JD, I am glad you are enjoying it. Not sure what "YI!" is. Reaction to the cliffhanger? I hope you feel better. Raynbow, glad you are enjoying it. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but they are just so much fun.)

Part 12, The Message

--Selmak--

I tap at the helm controls of the Tel'tak, making minor adjustments. Jacob was watching even though he knew how to fly this ship almost as well as I can.

The Goa'uld, Zar, had control of the Feran System for the last several years. Intelligence indicated that he had pulled out without there being any attack. Jacob and I were sent to discover why, and to figure out what he was doing there. As far as we can tell there wasn't a chaapa'ai located there.

The computer beeps, and I realize I am getting a communication from the Tok'ra. I respond. "This is Selmak."

"Selmak, this is Ralin. I have a message for Jacob from the Tau'ri. It concerns his daughter."

I feel Jacob's stomach tighten, and immediately give him control. We both know whatever the message is, it's not good.

"This is Jacob." He sounds calm.

"Jacob, we received word from the Tau'ri that Samantha Carter is missing."

"Did they give any details?"

"She disappeared from Earth. They haven't found anything to indicate where she has been taken, and believe she is still on Earth. They don't know if her disappearance has anything to do with her involvement with the stargate. A civilian, Pete Shanahan, disappeared around the same time."

Jacob appears not to be effected if you were to watch him from the outside. However, here on the inside, it felt like his stomach twisted with each sentence.

"How long has she been missing?"

"Six weeks."

"Is there anything else?"

"No," Ralin responds.

_Anything can happen in six week_s Jacob thinks as disturbing thoughts run through his head. "Thank you."

"We'll inform you if the Tau'ri give anymore information." Ralin closes the channel.

_I'm sure the Tok'ra won't mind if we go to Earth, and ask someone else finish this mission_, I tell him.

_She's been missing six weeks, and I just find out now?!_

_Given the current relationship with the Tau'ri and Tok'ra, it's not surprising that it took this long to be able to contact the Tok'ra. _I leave out that he's lucky they were able to contact us at all.

Jacob turns the ship around as he wonders who this Pete is, and if he is the reason his daughter is missing. _I'm going to contact the Tok'ra, and inform-_

The computer beeps again, but this time it's a distress signal. Jacob opens it, and all we hear is static. He finds written words as well. Most are gone, but the first part looks familiar.

_This first part looks almost Tok'ra_, he thinks.

It does, now that he mentioned it, in fact..._It is. We haven't used it in 193 years, but it's certainly Tok'ra._

_An old message?_

_That doesn't make sense though. It's not possible to have Tok'ra who've been stranded here for so long. Also, the Tok'ra never send out a verbal distress signals._

Jacob gives me control, and I try to clear up the message. However, most of it is degraded, and I don't find anything else useful. _It's coming from the Feran System. I don't think it's very old. We should investigate._

_My daughter is missing._

_I am aware of that, but she has people looking for her. Whoever sent this message has no one, and they may not have much time._

_Most likely they are long gone_, he thinks, but quietly consents.

I turn the ship back around, and open a channel. "This is Selmak of the Tok'ra, respond. How did you know the codes of the Tok'ra? I repeat, this is Selmak of the Tok'ra. Please, respond."

Jacob lectures on how this better not be a 193 year old message we are investigating.

I don't expect a response from whoever sent it right away. However, as a couple hours pass without a response, I begin to think that Jacob is most likely right.

To be continued...


	13. Expressions

(Thanks, Wraith816)

Part 13, Expressions

--Lantash--

Narim gets up before I am ready. _I was still resting._ I also still had a headache.

_I am the one in control anyway. _He moves quickly down the hall, and returns the main room. "Samantha, I looked outside and-"

_She's asleep_, I say as soon as I notice.

Her eyes open. "Dad?"

"Sorry, no."

Samantha blinks. "I had a dream about my dad and Selmak."

Narim nods lightly, but changes the subject. "I found nothing of importance outside. I am going to check on our friends down below."

She glances to the pool. "How many times you been up and down that?"

"A couple round trips. Pary is the one who brought the rope up. Since then, we've brought up the supplies with it. I'll be back soon." Narim and I didn't like leaving her alone when she was sick, but we had no choice.

--Samantha--

I watch Narim leave, and then look to the cup of water Lantash brought earlier. Water sounds good. I pick it up, and finish the cup. I shiver slightly, feeling worse than I did this morning.

I look to the computer. I really should check on it, and perhaps send out another message. I roll over to get up, and feel dizzy. Okay, I'll check on the computer in a few minutes. For now I'll just close my eyes, and...

--

I hear someone approaching, and open my eyes. When did I fall asleep?

"Samantha."

I turn over, and see Lantash looking at me. He's upset. "What's wrong."

"Pary and Hovar are dead."

What? "What?" This can't be true. I must have heard wrong.

"Pete says they just collapsed without warning."

"I'm sorry," I say, not sure what else to say. I am not even sure how good of friends they were, but I can see that he's upset about this.

He makes no response, and instead gathers more food and water, setting it all next to me. "Keep up your strength." I don't think anyone else could tell, but his voice has more worry in it.

--Lantash--

It's been a few days since Pary/Hovar's death, and I have no idea what the cause was. I hope the cause has nothing to do with my persistent headache. I've spent most of my time below with Pete to ensure he is safe from the other prisoners. Samantha insisted.

Right now I'm with her. "Samantha."

"Yes?"

"How did you know it was me?"

"What?"

"I mean, when you first came to the prison. You knew who I was."

Samantha smiled. "You have certain facial expressions, and changing hosts doesn't mask them. Most people can't see your frowns and smiles when you hide them. They're too subtle."

"But you can."

"Jolinar could. When I first came to the prison, you had a look of worry that we've never seen with anyone but you."

I feel almost foolish for not realizing all that. "No wonder Jolinar and Rosha always knew when I was worried about them."

She smiled again. "The 'worried frown.'"

I'm surprised. "How many frowns do I have?"

"You have one for being worried, angry or annoyed, disappointed, in pain, and a few when you are arguing. Those are all the subtle frowns that no one else notices. The obvious and rarely used frowns are really angry and in a lot of pain."

"Really? I had no idea. How many smiles I have?" I hope I don't have more frowns than smiles.

"All your smiles can be subtle or obvious, though you hardly ever make it obvious. People should see those smiles more often." She smiles, and I wonder if she personally has ever seen an 'obvious smile.'

"Well," she continues, "there is the generally happy smile, the 'I just won an argument' smile, which is also the gloating smile." She chuckles. "There is the accomplished smile, which is very similar to the gloating smile. The relaxed smile, and the...the 'I'm with the person I love' smile."

I smile.

"Yeah, that would be the one."

I try not to smile, but end up smiling more. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry. You've been smiling the same way for hundreds of years, and besides I just said you should smile more." She gives me a certain look. "Martouf smiled more, but you have more types."

"What were his types?"

"The generally happy smile, the 'I'm with the person I love' smile, and the 'I'm annoyed but not going to appear annoyed' smile."

"I bet he had that last smile a lot whenever talking to O'Neill."

"I don't think Martouf ever didn't have that smile when talking to him."

I nod lightly, and it's quiet for a moment, The conversation about frowns and smiles has closed. Everyone seems to be in thought. Soon though, she speaks again. "You should probably check on Pete."

I nod. "Yes." I get up, and give Narim control.

"We'll check on Pete," Narim says. He smiles politely, and then heads to the tunnel.

--Samantha--

As I watch them walk away, I think about the conversation. I remember the 'expressions of Lantash and Martouf' information from Jolinar, and she learned it because she loved them. I realize that not only it wasn't until recently that I remembered all the details of their expressions, but I'm starting to learn Narim's expressions as well.

In fact, I can read each of them better than I can read Pete.

That doesn't mean anything.

Does it?

To be continued...


	14. Impressions

(Wraith816, ::chuckles:: yeah, I have. Thought of the idea, then later thought of the movie and realized that was probably where the idea came from. Not completely sure though. Does that make sense? lol. After watching The Tok'ra part 1 today, I realize Lantash also had a sort of "all knowing" smile. If I ever do a complete edit of the story, which I usually do for small mistakes I somehow missed before, I might add that in.)

Part 14, Impressions

--Selmak--

I still have no idea who sent the message, but I have pinpointed what planet it came from. After scanning the entire planet, I found two buildings, and chose one to investigate.

I fly the Tel'tak, and land it near the larger building. I walk out, and inwardly wince at the heat. _Take over_, I think as I give Jacob control.

Jacob opens the door, and sees steps that lead down. He follows them, bringing out his flashlight when it becomes needed. He reaches a hatch, and opens it. It leads downward as well, and we can see it's leading to a dead-end.

_Do you think-_ Jacob starts as he wonders if rings are coming. His thoughts are interrupted when he is answered by rings.

Oh, it stinks!

Jacob's nose stings, and he feels as if he was just punched in the stomach. He retreats immediately, leaving me in control. It doesn't help. I'm not able to control the nausea any better than he can. The feeling makes me feel weak, and I'm very glad that Jacob hasn't eaten in a while. In fact I'm sure that is the only thing that keeps me from being completely humiliated here.

Afterwards I see a dozen people watching. Well, at least we don't have to worry about embarrassing ourselves here, as I'm sure they figured out we were sick. Despite our entrance, they appear to be afraid of us. I look to one, and he scampers off. Odd.

The entire place is filthy and dark. We are standing in muddy water, though the dirt directly under is hard. I would guess water has been dumped here recently, and by the looks of it, I would guess the water is what smells so bad.

_I don't sense any Tok'ra_, Jacob thinks.

_Neither do I_.

_Well, there are prisoners anyway, _Jacob thinks, though also he is thinking of his daughter. _If we don't find any Tok-I sense a symbiote._

I did as well, and turn around. It's not anyone near, and the feeling disappeared. I head to the direction, and a couple prisoners follow. Down a hall I reach a barrier created from cloth. I pull it up, and hear a couple gasps behind me. They are ignored, and I walk through.

A human with brown hair looks up at me. He wears what Jacob tells me are nice clothes a man would wear on his planet. The man looks a bit surprised to see me. "This isn't your territory," he seems unsure of himself, though hides it well.

"I don't really care whether or not I'm in your territory." I glance around, and realize it smells better here, and the ground is no longer covered in water.

He frowns. "I ask that you return to your side."

He obviously thought I was one of the other prisoners, which Jacob and I find insulting. "I came here in search of the Tok'ra."

That surprises him. "Why do you wish to speak with him?"

"First to ensure myself he is Tok'ra and not Goa'uld. Where is he?"

"I assure you, Selmak," a distorted voice says, "I am Tok'ra."

Very surprised to hear my name.

I look up to see a man who makes all the other prisoners looks clean, and believe me, they were far from clean. His hair is flattened down with grease and filth. His skin and clothes have layers of dirt built up. To be honest, he smelled a bit like the water from the other room.

I can see other indications that he had been down here a while. He is underweight, though seems to stand with strength. He has scars that I believe were from cuts. One across the neck, one starting on the nose and slashing down over his right cheek, one starting at the hairline of his left temple and moved down just passed his ear, and some on his arms.

He is not a Tok'ra I know, not the host, but he seems familiar. "That is good to know." As I take a step forward, I realize why he looks familiar. The host is Tollan.

Jacob and I are both surprised by this. We thought all the Tollans had been killed.

"You received our distress call," he half states, half questions.

"Yes. Who are you?"

He hesitates, and that makes me wonder. Finally he steps closer. "Lantash."

That's not possible. That couldn't be possible. I feel Jacob has the same doubt as I.

"I know it doesn't seem possible," the man continues. "Ask me what you wish in order to be assured of my identify."

"Where did you and Jolinar perform the ritual to be mates, and how long ago was it?"

"On the planet Neeka, in the city of Tarra, Rosha's home. The ritual was performed 101 years before the death of Martouf. Time after his death is blurry since I was either in stasis or in this prison. The ceremony involved rituals of the hosts and us Tok'ra, so it lasted three days."

I almost feel as sick as I did when I first ringed in here. It is Lantash. I knew not just from his answer, but how he answered. He had somehow survived. We had abandoned him. Even Jacob was quiet as he feels the same numbness that washes through me.

Jacob composes himself much faster than I, and asks for control. He speaks as soon as it was given. "Lantash, I'm not going to even try to make up for what happened by apologizing. Not yet. We will get you out of here. Afterwards we need to go to Earth." His voice trails slightly. Knowing how Lantash feels about his daughter, he considers whether or not to bring up her being missing yet.

Lantash speaks instead though. "I know a way up, but it's a climb that not everyone can make." He looks to other man with those words, and then back to Jacob. "It's to another level that will lead to the surface. Samantha is already there."

"Sam?" Jacob thinks he must have misunderstood, but it seems odd that we both would.

"Yes, she and Pete were taken from Earth."

Jacob looks to the other man. _So, that's Pete._

"You can climb up to see her. I'm sure she'll be quite surprised." Lantash gestures us to follow, and starts walking.

--Pete--

There was something very familiar about Selmak, or rather, the host, but I couldn't quite figure it out. He seems to know Samantha. Do all the Tok'ra know Samantha?

Lantash just told Selmak's host that he could climb up. I wonder if he could. "It is quite a difficult cliimb," I comment.

The host looks to me, slightly irritated. "It sounds like Sam and Lantash made it. You don't think I can?"

"I didn't mean that. I just meant, you might have a hard time given-" No, that's a bad thing to say.

The man almost made a smirk. "Given what?"

"Nothing."

"My age?"

Not sure how to react to that.

"Oh, so it is my age. I'm older than you, so I can't make the climb." He sounds almost cheerful, but in his sarcastic words, I know I offended him. He's probably already angry about our first encounter, and now this.

Well, what are the chances I'll encounter this Tok'ra again?

The thought reassures me, but something about Lantash makes me wonder. Lantash is really enjoying this. Why would he be enjoying this?

Lantash and Narim switch. Narim looks to Selmak's host. "I'm sure Pete is just nervous with meeting you."

Why would I be nervous?

"Given the look on his face, I don't think he knows why he should be nervous, and under these circumstances, why of all things would I make him nervous?"

Narim looks to me with a somewhat surprised look. "You don't know who he is?" His words are quieter, but I'm sure the other man heard them.

Uh, no. I'm still trying to figure why he looks familiar.

Narim glances from me to the other Tok'ra. "Well, Jacob, have we actually ever met? My name is Narim."

Jacob. "Jacob?!" I just offended Sam's father?!

To be continued...


	15. New Problem

(Elemental-sparky, really curious to what you think of the rest of the fic. Hope you enjoy it. Wraith816, glad you enjoyed it. I found it to be a little harder writing Jacob than I do Sam. JDalienfreak, glad you liked it. As for the question about the Tollan, have you seen all the episodes? I kind of made an assumption from the show.)

Part 15, New Problem

--Selmak--

From the way Pete said the name of my host, I assume he suddenly remembers who Jacob is, though I can't fathom why a civilian would have known anyway.

_I don't care_, Jacob thinks, still very offended. _I don't like him._

"I wish you had come sooner," Narim says. "Pary and Hovar were here." He glances down. "They died a few days ago. I haven't been able to figure out why."

"Samantha hasn't tried to figure out why?" Jacob asks in surprise. Samantha isn't a medical expert, but it still surprises us that she wouldn't try to figure it out.

"She's only stayed at the above level since arriving there..."

I don't like that hesitation, and neither does Jacob.

"..She's been sick," he finishes. "I don't think it has anything to do with what killed Pary and Hovar," he adds very quickly.

Even if one has nothing to do with the other, Jacob still doesn't like it. "You left her alone?!"

"She insisted I stay here for most of the day to make sure Pete is safe, and I'm sure you know, she's very stubborn. Almost as stubborn as you."

I think I like Lantash's new host, and he's made a good impression on Jacob as well. Is it me, or does Narim smile a certain way whenever he mentions Samantha?

_It's not just you. _"We could use the rings to bring Pete up," Jacob says, and then stops when he sees we entered a room with many decaying bodies.

"Er, sorry," Narim says quickly. "I've gotten kind of used to them. Use the rings..." he pauses in thought. "If you and Samantha can use something small to activate the rings, then it could bring up Pete, Pary, and I up. It would be best if I stayed. It wouldn't be good to have Pete stand among the prisoners with Pary's body alone." He makes a soft wince, and I wonder if perhaps there is another reason he doesn't want to make the climb again.

"That is a good plan," Jacob says, and he looks down at an almost empty riverbed. "This is where that water in the other room came from?"

"Yes, after the first climb, we needed to clear it in order to bring up supplies."

"You and my daughter went into that water?" Jacob could see where the water level used to be. Standing in puddles of it was one thing. Swimming under it was something I don't want to think about.

"Yes...might have something to do with why she is sick now."

Great, and I bet she smells like Narim and Lantash.

Jacob gives me a mental glare for that comment, and then starts climbing up.

Oh, this is going to be a long climb.

--

We made it!

Jacob climbs out and quickly looks around for his daughter, except we are in an empty pool. He sees her as soon as he stands. "Sam?"

He climbs out of the pool, and heads over to her. "Sammy?"

She's curled up asleep.

Jacob touches her forehead, and it's hot. "Sam."

"Lantash? Wait, Narim..." She opens her eyes. "Dad?"

Jacob smiles. "Yeah, I'm here."

"How?"

"We received your distress call."

"Dad," she says again, fully realizing that she is in fact seeing her dad. She sits up, and hugs him.

He hugs her tightly. "Sammy, I missed you. Can you walk? I need to call the ship over here to bring us to the other building. Then I will activate the rings to bring up the others."

She nods. "I can walk." Even so, Jacob helps her up, and doesn't let go.

"Did you meet Pete?" she asks.

"Yeah," Jacob says with a slight annoyed tone.

Sam seems to pick up on it. "You didn't like him?"

"Let's say he didn't give a good first impression, and I don't plan to ever had a second."

As Jacob opens the door, I notice Sam looks nervous.

"He a friend of yours?" Jacob asks.

"We've been dating, Dad."

Jacob gets annoyed, while I find that to be positively funny.

_That's not funny_, he thinks.

"How serious is it?"

She glances up to him. "I think it might better if Selmak were in control when I answer that."

_It can't be that serious_, he thinks. _He didn't even know who I was._

_He probably never realized you were Tok'ra, and so couldn't place you._

Jacob uses a remote to call the ship, and it's there when we open the next door. We enter, and he gently helps his daughter sit on the floor. "How serious is it?" he repeats as he heads over to helm.

"We're engaged."

He stops and turns around. "What?"

"He proposed, and I said yes. He's a good guy. He's a cop, and he transferred so he could live closer to me."

"So, you love him?"

"Yes."

Jacob turns around, saying nothing. He sits at helm, and brings the ship quickly to the other building, which is a very short way. Could make the walk easily if it was on another planet. He stands up after the land, and heads down. He pauses as he turns to his daughter. "You must have been surprised to see Lantash was alive."

She smiles. "Yes, him and Narim. I have missed them."

Jacob is pleased. _Well, I don't have to worry about trying to like Pete. She's not marrying him._

While in a case like this, I'd usually argue and tell the host to accept it. In this particular case, we both saw the same thing. The expression on her face when she spoke of Pete didn't compare to the smile for when she spoke of Lantash and Narim.

Jacob leaves, and heads down that tunnel again. This time he stops before the end, and throws in small items until the rings are activated.

Narim smiles after he is brought up. "The other prisoners are probably going to wonder how we did that."

Jacob nods, both in response to his words, and giving me control.

"Lantash, what became of Elliot?"

Narim's smile fades. "Elliot died a few months ago."

Jacob and I both wonder why Narim is the one telling us about Elliot, but perhaps it is hard on Lantash to speak of him. I know all too well the pain of losing a host. Again I feel bad. "If we had known sooner, we could have saved Elliot."

Narim walks passed us, with effort, as he and Pete both carry Pary and Hovar. "No, I am afraid that would have not saved him. He...he lost his mind over a year ago due to the torture Zar put him and Lantash through."

I realize just how much we failed them.

"Elliot realized what was happening, and asked Lantash to think of him as dead once he was...mentally gone. Afterwards, he soon was, and became very violent. Lantash had to take control."

It's quiet the rest of the way, but his words repeat in my head. I can't imagine what it would be like to be forced to take control of a host because he's lost his mind. What Elliot and Lantash went through makes me sick. No wonder Narim was the one telling us about it.

As we enter the ship, Pete quickly finds Sam. "Sam!" He practically runs to her.

I glance over to Narim, and see clearly as he watches them, it hurts him. Lantash takes over, but after knowing him for so many years, I can see he too is in pain. He turns away, and instead starts concentrating on Pary.

Jacob finds a healing device, and heads over to his daughter. He starts using it on her. We learn she was a lot sicker than she let on, however the device will heal her.

"It's almost sad," I hear Lantash say. "All that food and water I stored, and I don't get to have it."

"We can go back and collect what we can," Jacob says.

"No, it tasted horrible. I'll never complain about Tok'ra rations again."

Jacob chuckles, and finishes healing his daughter. "Feeling better?"

She nods.

"The rest of the healing will have to be done by you. You should feel normal in a few days. You'll be a bit tired until then." Jacob goes over, and starts scanning Pary. "I don't see anything wrong. If we take him back to our base, perhaps we can figure out why he died there." Jacob then scans Hovar. "I can't be sure, but I think Hovar died first. Lantash, was there anything that would harm a symbiote?"

He doesn't answer.

"Lantash?" Jacob turns to him, and sees Lantash staring.

"Lantash, are you all right?" Samantha asks.

Lantash turns to her. "What? Oh." He turns back to Jacob. "If there was anything, then it should have effected me first. I was there longer."

Or it's just taking longer. The idea of something on that planet that can kill a symbiote makes me very nervous.

Jacob starts another scan. "From the scan it almost looks like...no, that can't be. Lantash, would you look at this?"

I hear the sound of someone hitting the floor.

Samantha's voice exclaiming "Lantash!" soon follows.

I turn around, and see her check for a pulse. "Narim," she says quietly.

I take over Jacob and start another scan, but this one is not on Pary or Hovar. I feel a knot in Jacob's stomach as the results start coming up. I quickly go to Narim and Lantash, and scan them. "They are alive. Samantha, did anyone open the door to the outside?"

"Yes, Lantash did."

"Did Pary and Hovar die soon after that?"

Her eyes widen slightly. "Yes, now that you mention it."

"I just figured out why Zar left the planet. The entire atmosphere is filled with the Tok'ra poison..."

She looked at me in disbelief. "What?"

"...and now it's on this ship."

To be continued...


	16. The Poison

(Telboriel, thanks. I liked Narim too. I still hope he comes back on the show, since we never actually saw what happened to him. Being gone this long though, I doubt it. JD alien freak, thanks. Your situation sounds like mine a couple years ago. I hadn't seen most of the episodes, and finally started watching every one I could. As you said, it can make it rather confusing. It helped a great deal when sci fi started showing the reruns in order every night. Eric Raptor Wenner, lol, and thanks. Glad you like my cliffhangers and paring.)

Part 16, The Poison

--Sam--

"We need it off this ship," Selmak says with slight panic. "Or we need off this ship."

"Can we use the escape pods?" I suggest. "Empty the ship's atmosphere while we are in them, and the life support system will refill the ship with fresh air."

"That is a good idea. There won't be any poison in the escape pods, and what little there after we enter will quickly be filtered out by environment controls." Selmak heads over to the escape pods. "Samantha, you share one with Lantash. He shouldn't be alone."

From the side, I see Pete frown at that, but he says nothing. I start picking up Narim, and Pete comes over to help. It reminds me back on the planet years ago when I was half carrying Elliot/Lantash around. Now I'm half carrying Narim/Lantash, and I'm more worried now than I was then. What if they don't wake up? We prop them up against the back wall of the escape pod.

I enter with, facing them.

"I'll get you when it's safe," I hear my father's symbiote say as the door closes.

--Lantash--

I wake up, and it's dark and confined.

"Lantash," says Samantha's voice, filled with concern

"Wha-ow!" My head, legs, and feet hurt, and I feel strange.

"We are standing in an escape pod."

Actually, she was standing in an escape pod. My feet and legs were squished under me because, well, unconscious people can't stand on their own. Now they are as the Tau'ri would say, "asleep," to the point of pain. I try to move up on them, but that doesn't work.

Samantha tries to help me stand as she continues to explain. "We are in here until the atmosphere in the ship returns. We had to clear it because it had the Tok'ra poison in it which was on the planet."

"The Tok'ra poison?" That can't be right.

"Yes."

Now I'm angry. "The Tok'ra poison! That! Again!"

"Lantash."

"What a great idea we had." I say sarcastically, referring to all Tok'ra as "we." "Let's create a poison that can instantly kill us!!"

"Lantash," she repeats.

"I hate that poison!"

"I know," she says, and I notice she is covering her ears.

I realize that having someone yell while you are about an inch away from them probably isn't pleasant. "I'm sorry."

"Selmak said he'd...or she would get us out. Does Selmak prefer being referred to as a male or female?"

"Selmak usually identifies better as a female."

"How does the symbiote decide that?"

_That's a good question_, Narim thinks.

"Tok'ra symbiotes usually identify the same as their first host. Some though, like myself, changed their mind once they had a host of the opposite sex. Others don't care either way."

"What about you?"

"I prefer being male. It just...feels more right, and over the years I noticed that I also get along better with male hosts."

My feet still hurt, but with Samantha's help, I was able to stand up on them. The pain is easing, though I am working to help it ease faster.

"Your in control more than you were with Martouf."

Where did that come from? How long have we been in here, and how bored was she while I was unconscious? "The Tau'ri seemed more comfortable with him in control. Also-"

_You aren't going to tell on me, are you? _Narim asks.

_Yes, I am. _"-with Narim, for one, we both felt it would be safer if I were in control more in prison, and two, he sometimes doesn't give me a choice."

_You told on me! _Though he tries to sound angry, but he is mentally chuckles. I join him.

"You don't always have a choice?" she asks as she feels Narim's pulse.

"A symbiote trying to give a host control who doesn't want it, is just as hard as a host trying to get control from a symbiote who doesn't want to give it up." I smile. "Narim isn't as bad as I indicated, however, as you know, when a person is not in control their senses are dulled. If they chose, their senses can almost be gone, which is why one can be asleep while the other is awake. Sometimes when we are in a situation that is uncomfortable, like now, he puts me in control. It's not always on purpose. Often he does it instinctively to get away from the discomfort, and then realizes he gave me control."

Samantha nods lightly.

"It'll take time, but we'll find the balance to when to give or take control."

I wiggle my feet. "Escape pods were not meant for two people."

"Selmak didn't want you to be alone."

I smirk very lightly, and hope she can't see it in the dark. I'm sure Pete wasn't happy to hear that.

I see the door open as cold air seems to rush in. Samantha promptly falls backwards, but it caught by her father. I shiver slightly, take a step forward, and slip to my knees.

"How are you feeling, Lantash?" Jacob asks as he sits his daughter down.

I glance to her, and she is rubbing her own feet. I realize her feet are probably asleep as well. After all, it wouldn't have just been my feet I squished while I was unconscious. "I am feeling better. My head hurts, but not as much as it did before."

"Clean air must feel great after breathing that poison for a few days," Jacob says as he releases Pete. He bows his head, and Selmak is now in control. "When you are ready, we should try to figure out why the poison didn't kill us."

I get to my feet, forcing them to hold me even if they are tingling in numbness. "I am ready." I am more than ready to figure out why this poison refuses to kill me.

--Samantha--

I watch Selmak and Lantash quickly move to the computers, and start tapping at it. I keep where I am, rubbing my feet to wake them.

"Samantha," Pete says as he smiles.

"Pete."

He sits down. "What's wrong?"

A lot of things were, and I realize, so was our future together. "Pete, it's...now isn't the time."

He gives me a gentle kiss, but pulls back when my response is missing. "I love you, Sam."

"Pete."

I can see the hurt in his eyes. When you kiss someone, and tell them you love them, hearing them say your name with a tone of "we need to talk" is never good.

"What is it?" he asks.

He looks so hopeful.

"Whatever it is, telling me later isn't going to make any difference."

"Pete...it's...us...this isn't going to work."

He starts speaking quickly. "If we are moving too fast, then we can slow down. We can call off the engagement, and continue dating. Perhaps try again in a year, or ten years. Whatever makes you happy." He loves me, and I can almost see his heart crumbling as this conversation continues.

I resist the urge to look down. "I'm sorry."

He looks to the other two, and then back to me. "I know I didn't make a good impression on your father. I'll try to make up for that."

"My father has nothing to do with this."

"It's them, isn't it? Lantash and Narim."

"They are part of it."

His expression and tone seem to turn to stone. "They seem to be it. Do you love them?"

I instinctively glance down, and don't catch the action until too late.

"For how long?"

"Before we met. I thought they were dead, and...I didn't fully realize how I felt."

"When did you realize?"

"After we came on this ship, and they collapsed...when I thought I lost them again."

He moves away quickly, and settles in a corner.

His reaction is almost eerie. I almost would have preferred anger. Deciding to distract myself, I stand up, and walk over to Lantash and Selmak, who are simultaneously scanning each other. Despite having just broken it off with Pete, I smile at the scene, especially when they both stop and look up at me on the same time.

"Finding anything?"

"Not yet," Selmak says as she inputs her findings into the computer. "Hmm."

"Selmak," Lantash says, who is looking at the readings he found. "You are chemically imbalanced."

My eyebrows raise slightly to that.

Selmak turns around looking just as puzzled. "I'm what?"

"Your adrenaline and phosphate levels are low. Naquadah is a little high, and your sugar level is very high."

Selmak thinks for a second. "Oh, yes, I was given yilow a week ago. As it stays in the system for weeks, it would account for the imbalance." Selmak walked over to look over her own readings. "I don't understand why my sugar would be so high."

"What is yilow?" I ask.

"It is a type of sedative used to slow down the metabolism of a symbiote and host. Jacob and I were injured, and it was used to help me heal both of us."

I wonder... "Is it used for someone in stasis?"

Selmak glanced over to the other Tok'ra, who was staring at the computer as he scans Selmak again. "Yes, it would have been in Lantash's system when he was exposed to the poison."

"It counteracts the poison," Lantash said. "With interaction, they break down, and rebuild into sugar." He glances to Selmak. "I'm watching what is left of the yilow and poison in your system turn into sugar. It wouldn't be in my system any more though. Why did I survive?"

Selmak answers, "The cells normally attacked by the poison were damaged from your first exposure. They were rebuilt stronger, and so the poison didn't have immediate effect. Had you kept breathing it though, it would have killed you."

In one move, Selmak gives my father control as they head over to another console. "SGC had contacted the Tok'ra, and told them you were missing, Sam. I am going to try to contact the Tok'ra, and let them know you were found. They can relay the message to earth. The Tok'ra should also know to stay away from the Feran System. I don't know how the poison got there, but whatever method is being used would have to be constant for the poison to still be around."

As he continues to tap, he gets no reply from the Tok'ra. "Tomorrow we can head to planet with a stargate, and go to earth from there." He looks at the computer. "It seems no one wants to talk to us. We can sleep here for the night."

He pulls blankets and small pillows out of storage. Narim, who I didn't see switch to control, takes one of each, and sets the blanket down. He lays on half of it, and brings the other half over him. Dad gives me two of each. "Pete would probably prefer getting the pillow and blanket from you."

Either Dad was clueless about the break up, or was pretending to be clueless.

"Of course," I say as I take them from him.

Today had been rather overwhelming with a mixture of emotions. I'm glad it's over, and can't wait to return home.

to be continued...


	17. Reality

(Telboriel and JD, thanks for the review.)

Part 17, Reality

--Lantash--

Narim and I wake up to the sound of quiet arguing on the other side of the room. Narim rolls over to see the argument is between Samantha and Pete. He quietly looks to where we last saw Jacob and Selmak.

Jacob is in control, and watching the argument. I can almost hear the argument he must he having with Selmak. By his eyes, I know he wants to intervene, but Selmak wouldn't want that.

So far Selmak is winning.

Narim lays still, quietly observing. A few minutes later Selmak loses as Jacob heads over there. I have a feeling Samantha isn't going to want him there.

Yep, by her reaction, she doesn't want her father there.

I really wish I could hear them. Even Narim is wishing this.

Jacob is arguing with Pete. Now Selmak is in control, and unfortunately I can't hear her either. Selmak first talks to Pete, and then Samantha. Jacob takes control again, and talks to both of them. He says something to Pete before leaving. He doesn't return all the way back here though, but stands himself halfway.

Samantha and Pete are talking now. He seems more upset than she does. She tries to give him a small object, but he is refusing. She finally places it in his hands, and says something.

I don't know what this small object is, it looks like a ring, but he certainly doesn't want it. She walks away, and he drops it. Samantha passes her father, and is heading in this direction.

Narim closes his eyes.

She walks passed us.

Narim keeps his eyes closed for several minutes before opening again. Then we wonder where everyone is. He finds Pete sitting in the corner he slept in. Jacob is laying down in the middle of the room, though I doubt he has fallen asleep. Samantha must still be behind us.

He sits up, and looks behind to confirm this.

Her eyes find us quickly. "Hello Narim. Sorry, to wake you."

"It's not a problem. If you hadn't, it seems I would have missed something important."

"How much did you hear?"

"No words."

She nods.

_It seems their relationship might be over_, Narim thinks.

_Good._

_Lantash_, he thinks a bit sternly. He moves closer to Samantha. "If this is a bad time, I understand, but there is something Lantash and I want to discuss before we go to earth."

_You are going to discuss that now?_

_Why not? _he asks.

"Yes?" she says.

"Well, right now, we don't have a place to go. There is the Tok'ra, yes, but right now Lantash doesn't want to return to them. We need time to rest, and deal with all we've been through. The Tok'ra aren't exactly very understanding of that."

I noticed he left out that at the moment I am a bit pissed at the Tok'ra.

"Where did you want to stay?"

"Well, for now...earth."

Samantha smiles lightly. "I'm sure you can stay on earth for the time being."

"Thank you."

We returned to our blanket, and soon fell asleep.

--

The next day, I wake up before Narim. Jacob is already at helm. Samantha is standing near him, while Pete is near, but also keeping his distance.

"We near the planet?" I ask. I approach the three of them.

"Landing," Jacob answers.

_Narim, wake up._

_What?_

_We are landing._

_Already?_

_It would be best if you were in control when we go to earth._

"Sam, I haven't been able to contact the Tok'ra yet, so the SGC has no idea you are returning. As far as I know, they still think you are on earth, but I wouldn't trust your iris code. I'll use the Tok'ra's code, but I won't be coming with you. I need to return to the Tok'ra soon as tell them about the poison."

I give Narim control now that he's more awake, and we feel the ship land.

Jacob takes lead as we leave, and heads to the Chaapa'ai.

"Given the relation with the Tok'ra, and more importantly, the Goa'uld's ability to gain certain information, we will probably be greeted with several guns pointed at us," Samantha says.

"Wouldn't be the first time I was on that end of several weapons on earth," Narim remarks.

Jacob starts dialing, and the sound causes Pete to jump at first. His eyes grew wide, and I think he actually jumped back a foot when the Chaapa'ai "swooshed," as Elliot had called it.

"It's an easy process," Narim says to him as Samantha says good-bye to her dad. "You just step through. You might want to exhale before you do, as afterwards the first thing you want to do is inhale."

Pete looks both relieved and annoyed to be hearing this from us.

Samantha walks away from her dad, and goes to Pete. "Ready?"

As Samantha and Pete walk up the steps, I hear Jacob. "Lantash."

Narim turns back to him, and gives me control.

Jacob looks at me in the eyes. "Selmak and I are sorry." His eyes flash to indicate Selmak's control. "We don't expect forgiveness, but we wanted you to know."

I really have no idea how to respond to that. I just nod, and say, "Thank you." I catch up with Samantha and Pete as I give Narim control.

Narim pauses slightly when given control, and then continues up. Pete pauses briefly at the Chaapa'ai, then nods to himself. Together, all of us step through.

The first thing I notice was that Samantha wasn't kidding about the guns. We are surrounded by several men and women already in position and pointing the weapons at us. A chill flows as I remember the guns pointed at me from the last time I was in here.

The second thing I notice is the area on the floor where Martouf died. Narim is staring at it, not fully realizing why he is staring at it.

"Stand down!" calls a masculine voice which irritates me for some reason.

Narim realizes why he was staring at the floor, and looks away. I feel cold. Martouf died there, and people probably step on it all day, every day, not even knowing.

Jack O'Neill comes in, and he starts talking to Samantha.

Narim is staring at that spot again. I almost died there with him. Narim averts his eyes again, and looks to Samantha. "Samantha, could we possibly go into another room?" His eyes turn towards the spot again. "This room is...unpleasant."

"Yes, sir, we should go into another room. I'll explain later."

He looks confused, but complies with the wishes. As we start down, Pete is heading to the spot.

Noooo!

Samantha guides him away.

Martouf. I retreat further back.

My head clears a few seconds later, and I realize it's because we left the room. _Where are we headed?_

_To the infirmary._

That would make sense.

When we arrive, I see Daniel Jackson and Teal'c talking there. They turn around at the sound of our approach, and Daniel looks surprised.

"Sam?" Daniel says.

Teal'c looks from Samantha to us, and aims his staff weapon at us.

_What did we do?!_ Narim asks.

_He probably senses me._

Daniel looks from us to the staff weapon, and I can't honestly tell which surprises him more, Narim, or Teal'c pointing a weapon at Narim.

"Teal'c," Samantha says quickly. "Narim is Tok'ra now."

Teal'c look to her, back to us, and then lowers his weapon. "Is it good to have you back," he says to her, though still watching us.

"Tok'ra? That explains the iris code," Jack says from behind us. "So you have a snake in your head now."

I forgot how much his voice irritates me.

Narim turns towards him. "Yes, and one you owe debt to."

"Do I?" He sounds skeptical.

Daniel and Teal'c both move around so Narim is now facing all three of them.

Narim nods. "Yes." I quietly remind him that nodding usually indicates a switch.

_Oops. Well, then..._he gives me control.

"Who is this Tok'ra?" Teal'c asks, who seems unsure if we switched or now.

Oh, I was waiting for them to ask. I flash my eyes to let them know without a doubt that I am in control. "I am Lantash."

The surprise the three of them had to seeing Samantha or Narim doesn't begin to compare to the surprise to hearing my name. I don't think I've ever seen Teal'c look surprised before.

_Flashed your eyes to let them know who was in control? _Narim thinks. _I thought it was for dramatic effect._

_It was not for dramatic effect._

He responds by laughing. He doesn't believe me, and now there is laughing in my head.

"Lantash?" Jack is the first to speak. "Your..." He looks to Samantha.

"It's Lantash," Samantha confirms.

"I would like to speak with General Hammond," I say.

"Uh, Lantash," Samantha says, "he was promoted."

"Then who is in charge?"

"That would be me," Jack says.

Him? They promoted _him_?!

_Let me in charge_, Narim says quickly, knowing that me talking to Jack might get us kicked off earth. I grant his request, and he looks to Jack. "We request permission to stay on earth for the time being."

I see my new host has mastered Martouf's "I'm annoyed but refuse to look it" smile.

_Before I was blended I didn't find him quite so annoying_, he assures, and blames me for the new found perspective.

I think he just didn't pay enough attention before he was blended.

--

It's at seventeen hundred hours on what humans call a Wednesday when reality hits. Narim is sitting on the bed of his new quarters with his back against the wall. Jack has granted us the request to stay. I think out of guilt of assuming we were dead. One minute everything was fine, and the next minute Narim and I realize that we have actually escaped. Suddenly everything becomes real.

It seems silly that it took so long to realize, but here it is, in our new room, our new life. Narim trembles, and hot tears start pouring down his cheeks. There is nothing I can say to help.

_I'm here on earth. No home to go to. My family and friends are gone._

_You might have not been the only Tollan to survive._

_Do you really think I'm not?!_

Someone knocks on the door, and I inwardly wince. This is not a good time.

"Who is it?" Narim asks in a shaky voice.

"Sam."

Narim stares at the floor for a second, both wanting her there and for her to go away. He gives me control, and orders I make his tears disappear.

"Come in," I say, trying to do as Narim asked.

She enters, and closes the door. "You switch cont-you're upset."

Obviously I failed Narim's request.

She blinks. "I should go. I don't want to disturb-"

"Please stay," I ask, and then give Narim control back. "Samantha," he finishes.

He sits down on the bed. "I was just in thought."

Samantha sits next to us. "Any thoughts you want to share?"

He holds back his tears. "My people are gone. All the people I knew, people I worked with, my friends, family, they're...gone. Everyday I wondered what their fate had been. Did they die right away? Were they taken as hosts? How many had been captured like me?" He looks to Samantha, and tears start to fall. "I was captured with eight other Tollan. They learned of my actions. Every-every day they hated me more. I watched them taken away for torture, and sometimes they didn't come back. Soon I was the last Tollan, and I realized I might not just be the last Tollan in that prison. I might be the last Tollan...ever, and it's my fault. I don't deserve to be the one who lived."

Samantha gently puts an arm around his waist. He leans to accept to the comfort, and allows himself to fully cry again. "They hated me, and they had every right to hate me. Why did I live? Why wasn't I ever taken?" His body shakes in anger and sadness. "I often regretted my actions, and now I come here and see what my people will never have again. I never gave them a chance. They never-" He shakes his head slightly, and becomes quiet.

Time seems lost as he cried. I don't know if ten minutes or ten hours had passed before he gained control. I know it felt like a huge pressure had been taken off his entire body. A weight neither of us realized he had.

He looks to Samantha, and takes her hands with his. "Can I see the surface? Not now, but someday....Can I see the world I saved when I set mine against a losing war?"

Samantha looks rather speechless, but manages to nod.

"Thank you. We both thank you."

She nods again, though she has no idea the full extent of his gratitude, of our gratitude.

We sit there for a while, and Narim and I take comfort in her just being there. Sadly though, she is eventually called away.

To be continued...


	18. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

(Telboriel, glad you enjoyed the chapter. Martouf's last episode is in Season 4, "Divide and Conquer." Also, glad you enjoyed my other Stargate fics. I'll comment more on your Martouf ideas on the end because that would involve the next fic I write. Wraith816, yea! Lol. Making people sad isn't usually good, but it is in fiction. JD, glad you enjoyed the chapter, and Lantash's response.

Enjoy, please review.)

Part 18, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

--Lantash--

A few days later Samantha visits while carrying a bag.

Narim smiles, as he was in control at the time. "Samantha."

"I was wondering if you wanted to visit the surface today."

"Today? That would be great. I didn't think I would be able to visit so soon."

"Good." She hands us a bag. "Put these clothes on. They would be a bit better to wear for where we are going." She leaves.

Narim pulls out a shirt and pair of pants out of the bag. _I wonder what is wrong with what we are wearing?_ he asks. He takes out the shirt, and assumes the tag goes on the inside on the back like other Tau'ri shirts. The denim pants are more obvious as they only fit one way.

_Maybe she likes his better in this._

He finds Samantha waiting outside our room. "I am ready."

She brings us to the elevator, which always reminded me of the transport rings, but slower, darker, and cubed. We follow her outside, and Narim starts looking around. She leads us to a vehicle, and opens a door on the front right. Narim sits down in the chair in the vehicle, and Samantha teaches us how to put on the seat belt.

After she closes the door, Narim looks at a wheel on the left side. _Do you suppose that controls the vehicle?_

_That would be my guess._

Samantha comes around, and sits on the seat in front of the wheel. She turns the vehicle on, and we start moving. Narim looks outside. "This is an interesting transportation device. We used to frequency use something like this on Tollan."

"It's called a car. I should take you on my motorcycle sometime."

Now, why does that sound dangerous?

"Why have we stopped?" Narim asks when we stop by several other cars.

Samantha point to a light up ahead. "When that is red all the cars stop. We'll continue when it turns green."

He watches the cars driving in front of us. "It is green for them?"

"Yes."

Narim stares at the red light, waiting for it to turn green. When it does, he says, "It did not actually change color, but stopped lighting while another light turned on."

Samantha chuckles. "Yeah."

Narim proceeds to stare out the side of the window. Soon Samantha stops by other cars, none of which have drivers, and in front of a grassland with some trees. She gets out, and comes around back to us. When she opens the door, Narim tries to get up and fails. Then we remember the seat belt, which she now shows us how to take off.

"This place is beautiful," Narim says. Narim goes onto the grassland, and sees one part of it has sand. The sand area had strange structures in it, and many children climb or swing on the structures. "Where are we?"

"It's a park. I thought your first time on the surface should be somewhere relaxing."

Narim looks around in amazement and sadness as he walks. "I believe you chose a good place them. This place is beautiful."

"Do you want to feed the ducks?"

"Ducks?"

Samantha points to birds at a lake. "Those are ducks."

"We are allowed to feed them?"

"Yeah, I brought some bread." She opens a bag, and takes out bread. She gives Narim a slice, and takes a slice as well. "You break off a piece, and toss it to them." She breaks off a piece as we approach the lake, and throws it at a duck.

The duck hops away, and then comes closer to eat the bread.

Narim smiles as I think how many days worth of bread we are about to feed to birds. He ignores my thoughts, and throws a piece at the ducks. Two ducks fight over his piece.

More ducks are attracted to us as we give them bread. Smaller birds start coming, and flying off with the small pieces of bread. Bigger birds that Samantha calls geese also steal bread from the ducks. Big bullies. Narim avoids throwing bread in their direction, but Samantha doesn't seem to care what birds get the bread she throws.

Eventually the entire loaf of perfectly good bread has been given to the birds.

_I think you missed the point_, Narim thinks.

We start walking, and the birds follow us a few minutes even though we are no longer feeding them. They soon give up, and leave. There is something Narim and I want to ask Samantha, and he gives me control to ask.

I look around, and am glad that it seems no one notice my eyes glowing. That is automatic with taking control unless I consciously stop it.

_You should talk to her_, I think.

_I have spoken to her. She needs to hear from you now._

_Narim._

_I'm not taking control until you talk to her._

Martouf did just this with Rosha/Jolinar. I think Narim went into my memories and took the idea from him.

_I did._

That answers that. I sigh lightly. "Samantha." I make sure I sound like my host so anyone who might hear won't be suspicious about a human with a distorted voice.

"Lantash?"

I suspect she has all of Jolinar's memories that deal with being able to read me. "Yes." I stop walking, and turn to face her. She does the same.

"Samantha, we were wondering if possibly sometime in the future you might consider-"

_I didn't think it was possible to extend a sentence so long. Stop stalling._

"...Samantha, we were wondering if possibly in the future we could pursue a relationship beyond friendship. I know now that you still need time after Pete. Narim and I both still have issues we need to resolve as well. Perhaps though, in the future, we can..." What do the Tau'ri call it? "...date?"

Samantha smiles.

Please, say yes. Please, say yes. Please, say yes. Please, say yes. Please, say yes.

"I think that is possible."

I smile. Narim and I are very pleased with her answer. Our recent past hasn't been pleasant, and there are a lot of issues we both need to deal with. However, that moment we both know, our future is going to be good.

The End

(If I continue my pattern, then a story about Martouf would be up next. Telboriel, your ideas on a story about Martouf are kind of funny because I thought of both as well. Writing "The Tok'ra" from Martouf's pov would be harder than it was writing "In the Line of Duty" from Jolinar's pov. Aside from being two episodes instead of one, Martouf is more off to the side than directly involved. Would be probably best to do a lot of skipping if I did that. Martouf's life before being blended and how he became Tok'ra could be fun to write instead.

There are a lot of issues I left off here though. Writing a story that deals with those might deal with that might be good.

What do you all think?)


End file.
